The Dark Lord of Jurai - Episode 3
by Michael The-Zorch Haney
Summary: Planet Jurai stuggles for its survival as an enemy more powerful than the Light Hawk Wings descended and wreaks havoc. Tenchi and gang struggle to free the planet but an Ultimate Evil will soon arrise with the power to destroy the universe.
1. The Dark Lord of Jurai - Episode 3: Prol...

LEGAL DISCLIMER: Tenchi Muyo is the register copyright and trademark of AIC and   
Pioneer. All Rights Reserved. This work of fiction is written for   
entertainment purposes only and not for profit.  
=============================  
NOTES: Here it is, the first chapter of Episode 3. It has taken me a long time   
to get this far; about two years actually. Well, I hope you enjoy the previous   
chapters. Let me keep this short and let you enjoy the story. Thanks for   
reading my stories and thanks for fan mail. You can also contact me via the   
#SAS# and #WASHU# Mailing Lists and the #SAS# Mailing List at Yahoo Clubs.   
-The-Zorch  
=============================  
THE DARK LORD OF JURAI  
EPISODE THREE - NO NEED FOR AN APPOCALYPSE  
By Michael "The-Zorch" Haney  
  
Prologue  
=============================  
  
Once the most wanted criminal in the entire universe, Kagato was now the   
man who held the planet of Jurai in the palm of his hand. He watched the video   
recording of the Kryton departing from the palace. The alien spaceship from   
another universe left several Darkling ships in ruins before it cloaked and   
vanished from scene. The self-proclaimed Dark Lord of Jurai clenched his fists   
in anger at failing to destroy Tenchi and capturing Princess Sasami who had   
fully joined by Tsunami. He did deliver a fatal wound to the current Emperor of   
Jurai, but that was only a brief setback for them. He knew that Tenchi was next   
in line and would be appointed as ruler of the empire after Azusa died from the   
Dark Energy poisoning. But even that was not assurance enough because of one   
certain red headed genius who might find a way to cure the emperor.  
The Darkling Regis arrived a short time after the battle at the palace and   
brought with her thousands of her best troops to fortify the capital city.   
Already tens of thousands of Jurai military forces were surrounding the capital   
on all sides preparing for an assault, but it would be an assault they would   
loose. With Washu and Orrin in the picture however, their chances to making it   
to the palace would increase. Kagato knew of the base at the southern   
continent. There were few secrets the Juraians could keep from him, except for   
the secret of Tsunami and the power of Jurai that the royal family controlled.  
"What are you thinking about?" the Regis asked as she walked around the  
arena sized throne room. Kagato was seated in the throne of the emperor.  
"Tenchi, Washu, and this Orrin character are the greatest threat against   
us and I allowed them to escape." He replied.  
"Don't be so hard on yourself. All is going just as I have planned." Said   
the Regis. She turned and looked at him.  
"I know where they may be headed." He told her.  
"Good, you will be able to vindicate yourself then. At great expense of   
energy I have brought a little piece of Prince Orrin's past here to help us."   
Said the Regis.  
Kagato looked at her in surprise and asked, "What exactly is this thing   
you have brought?"  
The Regis laughed girlishly and replied, "Give the coordinates for where   
they are going and I will show you my dear Regent."  
  
  
The Kryton was speeding along the ground towards the hidden base on the   
southern most continent of Jurai. This place was a vast, unspoiled nature   
preserve established by the royal family. A mineral crystal that formed in the   
rocks of the mountains had the unique property of reflecting sensor sweeps, thus   
it was the perfect place to build a secondary command center for planetary   
defense. The need to build such a base came after Ryoko's attack on Jurai 700   
years before. The mountaintops of the southern continent were just coming into   
view on the observation deck where Tenchi, Aeka, Ryoko, Duncan, and Sasami met   
with one another to talk.  
"It looks so beautiful." Said Sasami.  
"Too bad its going to become a staging ground for a war." Replied Tenchi.  
"First we loose your father and Kiyone, and now the palace itself. I am   
beginning to wonder if we can win this war." Aeka said.  
Tenchi put his hands on Aeka's shoulders and shook her. "I don't want to   
hear that kind of talk out of you, we can get through this." He told her.  
Aeka blushed red. It was an old habit, and old habits die hard for some.   
Only a few months ago the situation at the Masaki household had been the same as   
always. Aeka and Ryoko still fought with one another for his heart, but in the   
end they both succeeded in capturing it, and as a result Tenchi proposed a bold   
move. On a cold night at the shrine, Aeka, Ryoko, and himself joined into a   
bonding of the mind and sole. They became one with each other, capable of   
feeling each others thoughts and emotions. The environment at the Masaki house   
changed quickly, and life for the three was happy until the Darkness came and   
turned their happy world upside down.  
"Yeah, we'll rip these things a new one once we get to the base." Ryoko   
added.  
"It won't be as simple as that, you know Washu said these things can   
suppress our powers." Tenchi chided her.  
"But we kicked their asses pretty good when they attacked the lab." Ryoko   
said.  
"As I recall, Ryoko, we won that fight at the skin of our teeth, so to   
speak." Said Aeka.  
"Yeah, yeah. But we got to get back at them. They hurt your father the   
emperor, they grabbed Tenchi's dad and Kiyone, and now they forced us to run   
like cowards." Said Ryoko with her hands on her hips.  
"We didn't have much of a choice seeing as we were being overrun by them."   
Said Duncan. Duncan Kirasawa was an agent with the Secret Police of Jurai   
investigating a terrorist movement against the royal family. Deep into the   
investigation it was discovered the very chairman of the Secret Police was   
providing the terrorist with funding. Zarlova, the chairman was captured and it   
was discovered that a Brain Leech was controlling him. This is a piece of   
living technology the Darklings employed. A link between the terrorists and the   
Darklings mentioned in Mihoshi's latest report was made, but they had no idea   
just how linked they were. The terrorist leader turned out to be Kagato himself   
in disguise, and he led a successful attack on the palace. This attack resulted   
in Tenchi and company fleeing for their lives. In the battle Kagato's sword   
struck the Emperor of Jurai and poisoned his body with Dark Energy. The   
radiation from it was destroying the DNA in his cells, and equipment in Washu's   
lab was the only way to save his life. In the meantime he was kept in stasis in   
the sickbay of the Kryton.  
Duncan and Sasami knew one another for a long time. Duncan's father had   
been the Captain of the Royal Guard, an order of knights who protected the royal   
family. Duncan and Sasami were playmates when they were younger, but during the   
time they were separated after Ryoko's attack their hearts still reached out for   
one another. Centuries later they would meet again on Jurai and the innocent   
crush they had on one another when they were children had turned into true love.   
Now Sasami was joined with Tsunami and was stunningly beautiful beyond   
description. Duncan was now the chairman of the Secret Police after Zarlova   
resigned his commission due to immense guilt for what he did under the control   
of the Darklings.  
"He is right Ryoko." Said Tenchi.  
Ryoko sat down next to Tenchi and Tenchi patted her on the knee. "We'll   
get our chance to get them back for what they did to us, you'll see in time." He   
told her.  
Ryoko leaned her head onto his shoulder and sighed contentedly. "I'm   
sorry, Tenchi." She said.  
"It's alright, we're all frustrated by all of this." He told her.  
"Frustrated isn't the word." Aeka added and Tenchi put his arm around her   
waist and pulled her closer to him.  
  
"Red Alert!" came Kryton's voice from an unseen speaker in the room.  
Everyone was surprise and they all jumped up. The ship had spoken in a   
very excited and alarmed tone. Kryton was, technically, a living entity   
embodied inside a spaceship developed using technology from a race in Orrin   
Quintarin's universe. Orrin had appeared with Kryton long ago when all of this   
started on Earth. He explained about Ethereal Technology and how a race in his   
universe called the Elo'Quin scientifically discovered the secret of magic.   
Kryton was built using this technology, although he was now every different from   
the time he was on Earth. After the battle with the Darkness on Earth, Orrin   
had to fly into the spatial anomaly the Darklings were using to make the moon   
fall towards the Earth. This would close the anomaly and prevent the moon from   
crashing into the planet. This also meant that Orrin was no longer in this   
universe, and he had become very intimately involved with Washu. After several   
months, Tenchi and company had flown to Jurai in the Yagami, but were ambushed   
and crashed. Just in the nick of time, Orrin returned to save the day, but   
Washu discovered that Orrin experience hundreds of years due to the differences   
in the physics of time in his universe. Orrin had married a girl from Earth and   
had two children with her. He had a son name Darius, and a daughter named Yuko.   
Washu like both of them very much. Orrin's wife died long ago during a great   
war with the Darkness in that universe, and Orrin had to raise his children   
alone. He never remarried or sought a wife although a number of suitors came   
forward. Four hundred years later he felt Washu was in danger and came to save   
her with his two teenaged children in tow. Washu and Orrin renewed their   
relationship, and their brief parting actually made their love for one another   
that much stronger.  
"Red Alert! A large spacecraft is detected in orbit above the coordinates   
of the base!" Kryton added.  
"What's going on?" Tenchi yelled.  
  
On the bridge of the Kryton, Orrin was looking at his console trying to   
identify the ship Kryton detected. Darius was at his post at the navigations   
and weapons station, Yuko on communications, and Washu was at the science   
station, of course. Katsuhito, Tenchi's grandfather and brother to Aeka and   
Sasami was the first to reach the bridge after the announcement. He had been   
holding a prayer vigil over his father in the sickbay with Misaki and Fonaho.  
"Get me an identification on that thing if you can, Kryton." Washu said.  
"Working, Mistress Washu." Said Kryton.  
"Son of a bitch, that thing is over a thousand miles wide." Said Darius   
who was looking at the tactical data on the ship.  
"I have an identification on the ship. The vessel is an Imperium ship   
registered in the war book as the Xevius." Kryton reported.  
"That can't be possible, the Xevius was destroyed." Said Orrin.  
"That was never fully confirmed, sire." Kryton replied quickly.  
"What the hell is it doing here, then?" asked Darius.  
Washu looked over the full tactical list on the Xevius from the war book   
database of ship configurations in Kryton's memory banks. She whistled as she   
read each of the different weapon systems the giant vessel possessed. She came   
upon one that took her by surprise.  
"Oh my God! That thing has a Quantum Singularity Cannon!" she shouted.  
"The historical record from the war with the Imperium shows the Xevius was   
responsible for the destruction of fourteen Alliance worlds before the ship was   
confront by the Alliance Defense Forces. The Xevius fell into a black hole   
after the power reactor to its graviton propulsion unit was destroyed by Lord   
Orrin." Said Kryton.  
Washu rubbed her chin and watched a video clip of the massive ship falling   
into the event horizon of a massive black hole. "It didn't break up." She said.  
"What?" Orrin asked.  
"It didn't break up, that is why its here. The Darklings probably found   
it drifting after it passed through the black hole and emerged through a white   
hole somewhere else in the universe." Said Washu.  
"I don't give a damn how it got here, I give a damn whether or not that   
thing's main weapon is operational or not." Said Orrin.  
Warning alarms suddenly started going off all over the ship. "The Xevius   
is targeting the mountain region of the base. I am detecting a power surge   
within the ship." Said Kryton.  
Washu gasped and started scanning the massive vessel. "It's the cannon,   
its operational!" she shouted.  
"We're getting the hell out of here!" Orrin shouted and he turned the   
ship.  
Tenchi and the others reached the bridge at that moment and looked at the   
large holographic display showing the ship moving away from the mountains.  
"Why are we moving away from the base?" Aeka asked.  
"Because in a few minutes there isn't going to be any base." Orrin told   
her.  
"What!?!" Aeka cried.  
A smaller window appeared on the holographic display show the mountain   
receding away from the ship. In the clouds overhead there was suddenly a   
strange blue glow. It illuminated the clouds and they appeared to glowing from   
the inside. Then, a pulse of energy rained down from the heavens and descended   
into the mountains. This was followed by a blinding burst of white light, and   
when the glare faded a massive shockwave of white-hot energy came rushing in all   
directions. The shockwave was traveling so fast that it was threatening to   
overtake the Kryton.  
"Brace yourselves!" Orrin shouted and he through the throttle to full.  
Kryton lurched forward at incredible speed but the shockwave was still   
advancing on them. The ship was struck, consoles on the bridge started to blow   
out, and the ship shock violently. Orrin struggled like he never struggled   
before to regain control of the ship. By this time it was tossing and turning   
in the rush of escaping energy from the impact point. Soon, the shockwave began   
to loose strength and Orrin regained flight control. Kryton displayed multiple   
system failures and hull breaches all over himself. His deflector shields took   
the brunt of the blast, but it was too much for him to hold back completely.  
"That really smacked you good, Kryton." Said Washu as she looked over the   
damage display.  
"I've been worse, believe me." The ship replied.  
"Our weapons are out, sensors are at half power, and you can forget about   
communications." Said Washu.  
"My auto repair system is already working on the damage, but it will take   
time." Said Kryton.  
Tenchi was helping the others get back to their feet, and he asked, "What   
about the base?"  
"There is no base." Said Orrin in a flat tone.  
Aeka gasped, "You mean there are no survivors."   
"Not with a weapon of that magnitude." Washu replied.  
Aeka buried her face into Tenchi chest and start to cry. Ryoko, feeling   
Aeka immense sorry, reacted quite differently. "AHHH! Damn those sons of   
bitches!" she shouted with clenched fists. Sparks were flying out from between   
her gripped fingers.  
Tenchi wrapped his arms around Aeka and felt overwhelmed by the feeling of   
her sorrow. "They killed everyone, without a warning, without giving them a   
chance to fight back." He said.  
"Darklings show no honor in battle, Tenchi." Orrin told him.  
  
Kagato marveled at the immense firepower of this new weapon. It surpassed   
the power of the weaponry he had on the Soja. A sensor sweep of the target   
point showed that there was nothing left of the mountain range where the base   
was hidden. The massive tower of rock that housed the main parts of the base   
simply wasn't there anymore. A gaping crater several hundred miles across   
replaced it.  
"Very impressive." He said.  
"That was only at one fourth power." The Regis said.  
Kagato stood up and walked towards the display screen. He looked at the   
scene of destruction and asked, "Are you certain we also got Tenchi and the   
others at the same time?"  
"Impossible to determine. There is very little of the base left intact,   
but anyone inside would have been instantly killed." Said the Regis.  
"We should now demonstrate this power against the Juraian fleet. It has   
been sitting at the edge of the solar system since we took the palace." Said   
Kagato.  
"I doubt that is their entire fleet, but only the ships that were in this   
system when we arrived." The Regis replied.  
Kagato turn to her. "That is true."  
"There are those armies encamped outside of the capital. They are   
preparing for a strike against us." Said the Regis.  
Kagato just laughed. "Even if they did attack us it would be a futile   
gesture on their part."   
"Yes, let us not deprive our forces the fun of slaughtering the fools when   
they do attack us." Said the Regis. The two laughed maniacally together and   
turned to look at the obliterated base once again.  
  
Orrin set the Kryton down in a vast forested area of the northern   
continent. They had to give Kryton some time to regenerate from the damage he   
took. At the same time, Washu connected her subspace lab to an unused utility   
closet inside the ship. She and Yuko transferred the unconscious emperor from   
the stasis chamber to the medical systems that would extract the dark energy   
from his body. It would be a slow process since removing the energy too quickly   
might be fatal. Aeka looked on as the machine started it work. It was a small   
device that hovered over his body and slowly sweeps a beat fro his head to his   
feet. With every pass of the beam a little bit of the dark energy was   
neutralized.  
Later that same day, a weak transmission from Admiral Shakar was detected.   
Orrin amplified the communication and called everyone to the bridge.  
"Thank Tsunami your all safe." Said Shakar.  
"How did you survive the destruction of the base?" asked Fonaho.  
"We were on route to the base when it happened. Our hover vehicle was   
severely damaged by the shockwave, but we managed to get back to dry land before   
it gave out on us." He replied.  
"So, nobody from the base survived then." Said Tenchi.  
"I'm afraid not. They didn't have the time to escape. But, I do have   
good news. Our forces from other bases have surrounded the capital and are   
preparing to make an offensive." Shakar told them.  
"They can't do that. They'll never make it to the palace, I can tell you   
that right now." Orrin warned him.  
"What do you mean?" asked Shakar.  
Orrin cleared his throat and said, "A couple of Darklings by themselves we   
can handle, but thousands at once will obliterate those men without much   
trouble."  
Shakar had a surprised and shocked look on his face. "They are that   
powerful?"  
"Yes." Orrin answered him.  
Washu walked up to the video screen so the admiral could see here. "The   
Darklings possess the ability to suppress magical energy. Many of the weapons   
and defenses of the Jurai military use magic, and so they will be nearly   
ineffective." She told him.  
"Dear Tsunami." Shakar whispered.  
Washu stuck a finger in the air and smiled widely. "However, you have one   
asset on your side, the greatest scientific genius in the universe! I'm working   
on a way to counteract this so we can fight them on more equal footing."  
"How soon can you have something for us?" asked Shakar.  
"It is hard to say, first I have to figure out how exactly they are doing   
it, and then develop a counter for it." Answered Washu.  
"Washu and I will both be working on this, so it should not take long."   
Orrin added.  
"Admiral, do we know what is happening in the capital city?" Aeka asked.  
"Well, we know so far that a majority of the people have been captured and   
placed in concentration camps just outside the city. These camps are heavily   
guarded, and a few rescue attempts have been made but none were successful."   
Said Shakar.  
Tenchi ran his hand down his face. "Oh god, it's the holocaust all over   
again." He said.  
"Huh?" said Shakar.  
"Its something that happened on Earth a long time ago. It is a dark part   
of Terran history." Said Katsuhito.  
"That is all I can offer you know in the form of information, Lady   
Fonaho." Said Shakar.  
"This will do, but you make certain our forces take no action until you   
hear from us." Said Fonaho.  
Shakar saluted to her and said, "Yes, my queen." Then, the image winked   
out.  
"It doesn't look good, does it?" asked Ryoko.  
"I'm afraid it doesn't." said Aeka.  
Orrin turned around towards the others. ""The key to all of this is   
Kagato and the Regis. Kill them and the rest will be easy pickings."  
"They are in the palace aren't they, and we would have to fight out way   
into the palace to reach them." Said Aeka.  
"Very likely, yes." Orrin answered her.  
"What do you mean by the rest will easy pickings?" asked Tenchi.  
"Without the minds of the Regent and the Regis giving the other guidance   
the Darklings will be disorganized and unable to function as a coherent group."   
Orrin explained.  
"To kill the serpent you cut off it head." Said Katsuhito.  
Orrin nodded his head. "Exactly."  
"You know, I know the inside of the palace pretty well. We could get a   
small force inside past their defenses and take out Kagato and the Regis."   
Duncan told them.  
Every one turned to Duncan and then looked at each other. "You realize   
that such a mission is very likely a suicide mission." Said Fonaho.  
"He is right, there are secret tunnels underneath the city that lead to   
the palace. They were built after Ryoko's attack to give us a means of escape   
incase we need to get away from palace." Said Misaki.  
"We also have the Xevius to worry about also, if you all remember." Said   
Kryton.  
"Hmm. We're going to have to scratch my idea of those small attack ships.   
If we're going to do this we need to make a two-pronged attack." Said Washu.  
"You mean attack the Xevius and the palace at the same time?" asked   
Fonaho.  
Washu nodded her head. "The attack on the Xevius would act as a   
distraction for our team that strikes the palace." Orrin added.  
"We will need very special people for the attack on the palace." Said   
Fonaho.  
"Count me in." said Tenchi.  
Aeka looked at him with some apprehension in her face, but she stepped up   
and added, "Me also."  
"Where they go I go also." Said Ryoko.  
"I will as well." Added Katsuhito.  
"You'll need my help too." Said Orrin.  
Darius stepped forward. "I'll fly the attack on the Xevius."  
"I will go to the Tsunami and help you." Offered Sasami.  
"It might all be futile without being able to stop them from suppressing   
magical powers. If only I had a Darkling to study for a few hours." Said Washu.  
"Like that would ever happen." Said Ryoko.  
  
Kiyone woke to the sound of Yokonojo's voice calling her name. She sat up   
in bed, which had been Mihoshi's when she used the ship to patrol the Sol   
system. Noboyuki sat in the middle of the floor of the living quarters in what   
looked like a trance. He did not move an inch and did not seem to be breathing   
either. Kiyone wondered if he even needed to breath at all. On the bed next to   
her slept the little Oscoda girl Chani.  
Everything since the crash of the Yagami had been a nightmare for Kiyone.   
She and Noboyuki were captured by the Darkness and she was thrown into the   
general prisoner population on their command ship. It was there that she met   
Chani's grandmother and witnessed the atrocities of the Darklings first hand.   
When a means of escape presented itself she promised Chani's grandmother that   
she would take the little girl with her. Kiyone kept that promise. Their   
escape came at a cost though. That cost of Noboyuki's humanity.  
Sometime during their captivity Tenchi's father was infected with a   
Darkling broodling and turned into a ravenous monster like the rest of them.   
Kiyone had been thrown to him as a gift from the Regis. She intended to   
motivate him into killing Tenchi, but a force stronger than the Darkness   
prevailed that day. That force was Love. Kiyone was surprised at just how   
strong Noboyuki's feelings for her really were. They were strong enough for the   
man to fight against the monster inside of him and regain control of his body   
and mind. What surprised her even more was how much she really felt for him,   
too. They decided to take things one day at a time and not to go to quickly   
into anything they might regret. After a few days onboard the GP ship with him   
Kiyone knew in her heart that this was the man she wanted to spend the rest of   
her life with.  
"Detective Kiyone." Came Yokonojo's voice from the cockpit.  
"I'm coming." Kiyone replied. She climbed out of bed and ducked through   
the hatch into the cockpit.  
"We are approaching Jurai space, Detective Kiyone." Said Yokonojo. His   
robotic head turned from Kiyone to a holographic navigational display.  
"Set us a course for planet Jurai. There sooner we get there the sooner   
we can warn them about the Darklings." Said Kiyone.  
"Setting course now. I am not detecting normal background communication   
traffic. Also, there is a large force of Juraian battleships sitting at the   
edge of the solar system." Said Yokonojo.  
Kiyone looked at the tactical display showing all of this. She noticed   
that several unidentified ships were seen tracking through the solar system   
around planet Jurai.  
"I don't like the looks of this. Yokonojo, get me a communication link   
with that Juraian fleet." Said Kiyone.  
"Yes, ma'am." Said Yokonojo.  
  
Captain Terrell of the Juraian battleship Mitsuho walked back and forth on   
the bridge of his ship. It had been hours since the last communication with   
Jurai. He and the rest of the fleet had been ordered here to the outer rim of   
the solar system and were told not to engage the enemy. He took these orders   
with a grain of salt. He did not agree with these orders, but he was loyal to   
the royal family and obeyed them without question.  
Terrell turned the tall, proud tree Mitsuho and patted her trunk softly.   
He could sense through his link with her that the tree was very worried about   
what happening on Jurai and wanted to act also. Then, the captain felt that   
Mitsuho was detecting a small ship entering the system.  
"Get me an identification on that ship." The captain ordered.  
A bridge technician went to work immediately as his console and a display   
of the Yokonojo appeared on a holographic display.  
"Its registered as a Galaxy Police Patrol ship, designation name is   
Yokonojo." Sand the technician.  
"We are being hailed, sir." Said a technician at the communications   
console.  
"On screen." Ordered the captain.  
Kiyone's face appeared on the screen. "This is First Class Detective   
Kiyone to any Juraian ship reading this transmission, please respond." She said.  
"This is the Mitsuho, this system is under quarantine, Detective Kiyone."   
Said Captain Terrell.  
Kiyone had a shocked expression on her face. "What? What's going on?"  
"Jurai has been invaded by a hostile alien force and it is unsafe for any   
ships to reach planet Jurai." Said Terrell.  
"Listen, Captain, we were traveling with Princess Aeka and her party to   
Jurai when we were separated." Said Kiyone.  
It was at that moment that Captain Terrell recognized the woman's man.   
"You were reported missing and presumed dead, Detective."  
Kiyone smiled and scratched the back of her head Tenchi style. "Believe   
me, Captain, I'm amazed at the fact I made this far in one piece."  
"Lady Aeka has reached planet Jurai, but that was before the invasion took   
place." Said Terrell.  
"Is there any way we can contact them?" asked Kiyone.  
"Give us an hour, we'll do what we can." Terrell replied and the   
connection closed.  
  
It took nearly and hour for Kryton to regenerate his systems. Being an   
inorganic life form had its advantages, and regeneration was one of them. The   
gang was preparing to put their plans into action, but first Washu had to figure   
out how the Darklings suppress magic. Without this their efforts to stop the   
Darklings will end in defeat.  
Aeka was on the bridge of the Kryton and looked out at the beautiful   
countryside that lay out around them. They did not leave their landing site   
after Kryton was repaired so they could concentrate on their attack strategy. A   
beep signal came from the communication console.  
"Miss Aeka, I am getting a weak signal from space." Said Kryton.  
"Who could it be?" she asked.  
"It is from the fleet, I presume." The ship replied.  
"Can you patch it through?" Aeka asked sitting at the console, but unable   
to make sense of the complicated controls.  
"Certainly." Said Kryton.  
A holographic display popped into existence with a fuzzy picture of the   
interior of a Juraian battleship. A man in a Captain's uniform was on the   
screen.  
"Lady Aeka, this is the Mitsuho, please respond if you are getting this   
transmission." The captain said.  
"Yes, this is Princess Aeka. I am receiving." Aeka replied.  
"Princess, there is someone here who is trying to get in contact with   
you." Said the captain.  
"Put them through" said Aeka.  
  
In another part of the ship Duncan was hefting a large energy rifle in his   
arms to get a feel for the weapon. It was an Alliance weapon from Orrin's   
universe, and thus powered by ethereal energy. This meant that it could be used   
against Darklings. There were also suits of high-tech armor that he was   
examining also.  
"The armor is ethereally strengthened. It is impervious to mundane   
weapons and reduces damage taken form ethereal weaponry." Explained Orrin.  
"I feel like I'm in a candy store." Said Duncan as he picked up what   
looked like an energy sword.  
"The grenades are really effective on Darklings." Darius explained and   
picked up one to show to Duncan. The explosive was small, the size of a small   
fruit. Pulling on the two hemispheres of it and twisting activated it.  
  
"All hands to the bridge!" shouted Aeka's voice over the intercom.  
  
Duncan looked at Orrin. "Now what?"  
  
Everyone rushed to the bridge expecting a severe crisis, but when they saw   
a fuzzy image of Kiyone on the main screen their hearts leaped for joy.  
"Kiyone!" cried Mihoshi.  
"We though you were a goner. Where have you been?" asked Ryoko.  
"Were is my dad?" asked Tenchi.  
"Are you alright?" asked Sasami.  
"Where are you?" asked Orrin.  
Kiyone put up her hands to silence them. "Not all at once, please."  
Tenchi pushed through the throng and stood before the holographic screen.   
"Kiyone, I'm glad to see your ok, but where is my father?" asked Tenchi.  
"Well." She replied, and a young man appeared on the screen with her.   
Tenchi gasped with shock. He recognized the face of the man almost immediately.   
It was his father, but he hasn't looked like that for more than twenty years.   
He appeared to be no more than seven teen years of age. It was like his face   
from the old photo albums back home suddenly came to life.  
"D-d-d-dad?" said Tenchi whom was too surprised to say more.  
"Its me Tenchi." Said Noboyuki.  
"But, how? You look so young." Said Tenchi.  
"Tenchi, he's got one of those things in him." Said Kiyone.  
Tenchi looked like he was about to pass out. He staggered backwards and   
Ryoko caught him in her arms. Washu stepped forward and asked, "You mean he's   
carrying a Darkling inside of him?"  
Noboyuki nodded and told them, "I was a monster, a thing, but I fought   
with all my might and I was able to take control over myself again."  
Washu turned to Orrin and looked at him. "I've heard of it happening only   
once before, it is possible it could happen again." He said.  
"We'll never get an opportunity like this again." Said Washu.  
Noboyuki scratched his head unable able to understand what Washu meant by   
that. "We need you to get to Jurai as soon as possible." Said Washu.  
"Captain Terrell won't let us enter the system." Said Kiyone.  
Fonaho stepped forward and said, "Leave that to me."  
"Oh, Kiyone I missed you so much." Sobbed Mihoshi. She was leaving a   
large puddle of tears on the floor plates.  
"There is also the problem of those Darkling ships, how do we get passed   
them?" Kiyone asked.  
Orrin thought for a moment and then said, "Leave that part to me, you just   
get here as fast as possible."  
"Alright, we're locked onto your coordinates now." Said Kiyone.  
  
Fonaho contact Captain Terrell and after a brief conversation he kept   
quiet as the Yokonojo soared off into the Juraian solar system. Meanwhile, back   
on Jurai, Orrin left the ship and stood in the middle of a clearing in the   
forest. Washu walked out with him.  
"They are on their way, how are we going to help them?" asked Washu.  
"Simple, I am going to run interference for her." Said Orrin.  
"Shouldn't we take off then?" asked Washu.  
"No, I said I was going to run interference." Orrin said. He turned and   
pulled her into a kiss. When he released her he stepped back and a bright aura   
surrounded his body. Suddenly, Orrin shot into the air with such speed that his   
departure caused a sonic boom in the sky overhead. Washu watched in stunned   
surprise as Orrin became a ball of glowing energy and streaked across the sky at   
an incredible speed.  
"What a man." She said.  
  
Yokonojo was traveling at top speed through the solar system and rapidly   
approaching Jurai. Kiyone watched as two Darkling ships peeled off from their   
course and turned to intercept them. What she did not see was a small glowing   
sphere is white-hot energy rushing through space at speeds that exceeded   
Kryton's capacity. The Darklings ships were also within visual range of   
Yokonojo. Orrin, however, reached one of the Darklings first. He turned at a   
speed that was impossible for any star ship and plowed into his intended target.   
With a force that was unmatched by anything know to the Darklings, Orrin rip   
through the superstructure of the ship and emerged on the other side. Within   
seconds and Darkling ship was tumbling and exploding from the inside. The   
second ship tried to open fire on Orrin, but he was far too fast for them.   
Also, their weapons would have had no effect at all if they did hit him. Orrin   
brought up his hands and formed a ball of energy in front of him. When it was   
just the right size he released its force and a white beam struck the other   
Darkling ship. It hit the forward section and piece through to the rear. The   
Darkling ship immediately became a fireball.  
Half and hour later Kiyone was bringing Yokonojo down in the clearing next   
to the Kryton. Orrin was flying beside her surrounded by his glowing aura. The   
minute he landed Washu threw her arms around him and plant kisses all over his   
face.  
"That is a nice welcome." Orrin said before he collapsed to the ground.  
"Orrin!" Washu cried.  
"He spent too much energy, he needs to rest." Said Yuko.  
Katsuhito and Duncan rushed out to help Washu and Yuko get Orrin side the   
ship. Tenchi, Aeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi rushed out to greet Kiyone.  
"That's Yokonojo. Where did you find him?" asked Mihoshi.  
"I think the Darklings salvaged him from the wreck of the Yagami." Kiyone   
replied.  
Tenchi walked up to his father. The two looked at each other nervously   
for a moment, and then they grabbed each other into a tight embrace. "I missed   
you dad." Said Tenchi.  
"I missed you too, son." Said Noboyuki.  
"Will that guy who helped us be alright?" asked Kiyone.  
"That was Orrin, he came back." Said Ryoko.  
"Orrin's back, wow! Well, a lot has happened since the crash I see." Said   
Kiyone.  
"You have no idea." Aeka interjected.  
Sasami ran out of the ship and ran towards them. She was huffing and   
puffing from the exertion.  
"Sasami, what's wrong?" asked Aeka.  
"Sasami?" asked Kiyone with surprise.  
"Darius said there are a lot of Darkling ships headed this way and we have   
to take off now." Said Sasami.  
"Dammit!" shouted Ryoko.  
Everyone ran to the Kryton and rushed up his boarding ramp. As soon as   
they were inside the ramp came up and Darius took them up. As they passed over   
the Yokonojo, Kryton teleported the small patrol ship into one of his storage   
bays. Darius skimmed the trees in and attempt to confuse the Darkling's   
sensors. As soon as they reached the coast an idea came to his mind. Darius   
sent the ship down towards the ocean surface and plunged the ship into the   
water. He took Kryton down hundreds of feet until the light from the surface   
was no longer visible.  
"How long can we stay down here?" asked Fonaho.  
"Kryton can withstand several hundred million tons of force to his outer   
hull, so we can stay on the ocean floor indefinitely if we needed to." Darius   
explained.  
"Will being down here protect us from them any?" asked Fonaho.  
"Just a little. Darkling ships can't dive down as deep as Kryton can, so   
that gives us an edge." Replied Darius.  
A haunting sound began to echo through the hull and into the inner parts   
of the ship. It was like a song, it repeated over and over again with slight   
variations in between. It was deep resonating sound, but it seemed soothing   
almost.  
"What is that?" asked Ryoko.  
"A leviathan. They roam the oceans of Jurai like the whales on Earth,   
what your hearing is their mating song." Said Washu.  
"I hope it's not bigger than this ship." Said Tenchi.  
"Kryton is just about the size of an adult leviathan." Washu explained.  
  
A few hours later, Tenchi paced back and forth in front of the entrance to   
Washu's lab, his father had been inside for an hour. He hoped that whatever she   
was doing didn't hurt his father at all. He trusted Washu despite his own   
experience with her in the past, but in every situation she had never harmed him   
in any way. The Nurse Washu Incident still brought chills down his spine from   
time to time, but that was the worst of his experiences in the depths of the   
eccentric genius' lab.   
The door opened the Washu stuck her head out. "Oh, good you're here.   
Come in Tenchi." She said.  
Tenchi followed her and went into the depths of the super high-tech   
complex that was Washu's home away from home. It had not really changed much   
from what he remembered, although he did notice some of the machines were still   
damaged since the battle with the Darklings took place here. That time seemed   
almost a million years ago.  
Tenchi found his father attached to a device similar to the one Washu   
usually strapped him into. The only difference where was his father wasn't   
stripped out of his clothes. Tenchi didn't think that was really fair. He   
always had to, or at least it was Washu who said he should.  
"Ok, Tenchi, I want you to do something for me." Said Washu.  
"Sure, what do you need?" asked Tenchi.  
She walked over to Noboyuki and typed a few sequences into her holographic   
laptop. "Ok, I want you to call on the Light Hawk Wings." She said.  
The Light Hawk Wings had only appeared as a defensive reflex. He was   
unable to call upon them anytime he wanted them, but after the encounter with   
Yugi in her otherworldly palace he had developed the ability to call upon then   
at will. With a moment of thought Tenchi called upon the three Wings of the   
Light Hawk.  
"Here you go." Said Tenchi.  
"That's good, now stay right there." Said Washu. She typed some more into   
her laptop. "Now, walked a few steps closer." She said.  
Tenchi complied and stepped forward four steps until Washu raised her hand   
for him to stop. Washu typed at her laptop some more and looked at the data   
streaming across its screen.  
"Generate the Light Hawk Sword and Armor." Said Washu. Tenchi complied   
and formed both. He was garbed in the same robe-like suite of armor he wore   
when he defeated Kagato on the Soja. In his hand he held the gleaming sword   
that had sliced Kagato and ship in half.  
"I have it! Now all I need to do is generate an opposing energy wave and   
we can counteract a Darkling's ability to suppress magic!" Washu shouted.  
"Does that mean I can get down from this thing now, Miss Washu?" asked   
Noboyuki.  
"Not yet, I still need you to generate that psi wave so I can find a way   
to counter it." She replied.  
"How long will this take?" Tenchi asked.  
Washu was sitting on her floating cushion and typing rapidly at her   
laptop. She seemed oblivious to everyone around her. Then, she tapped one key   
and leaped with her fist in the air.  
"Yes! We are in business!" she shouted.  
A device that looked like a small tower materialized in their midst soon   
after. Washu tapped a few buttons on its control panel and the device made a   
low humming sound. She took out a device that looked like a tricorder from Star   
Trek and passed it over Tenchi and the Light Hawk Sword.  
"It's working! I did it, we can jam their power to suppress magic now!"   
she shouted.  
Tenchi was smiling from ear to ear. Not because he was happy for Washu,   
he was, but that it meant that he would now be able to face Kagato and pay him   
back for everything he had done to his family. "That's great, Washu."  
  
Orrin was back on his feet and Washu scolded him over what he did and how   
much it scared the hell out of her. They made up by making love in their   
quarters for several hours. Later that night everyone met up in the galley to   
enjoy one of Sasami's culinary masterpieces. Washu told everyone the good news   
about the countering device.  
"So this means we can make our move now." Said Duncan.  
"First we need to place one of the devices on the north pole and one on   
the south pole." Said Washu.  
"Why is that?" Misaki asked.  
"The devices generate a counter psi wave, but have a limited range.   
Placing them in those locations amplifies the psi wave so it can reach far out   
into space." Said Washu.  
"How far out will it go?" Darius asked.  
"Almost to the outer rim of the solar system." Washu replied.  
Fonaho rubbed her hands together. "This means the fleet can engage the   
enemy."  
"Well, we'll get an early start tomorrow morning planting the devices and   
then we Jurai back." Duncan said.  
Everyone raised their glasses and clicked them together. "Here, here!"  
"It will be a day forever remembered in Juraian history." Aeka said.  
Everyone nodded in agreement. After the meal they separated their own   
ways to their cabins. In their cabin alone, Tenchi sat on the bed with Aeka and   
Ryoko. It had been a while since they were able to be with one another alone   
like this since they arrived on Jurai. Since then it had been a hectic time for   
them. They did not make love, though they all three wanted to so much, but they   
knew they had to get as much sleep as they could. Tomorrow was going to get a   
very long day. Instead, the girls lay in Tenchi's arms and rested their heads   
on his chest. In their dreams they met together, as they usually did due to the   
link, and enjoyed each other's company. They dream of returning home to the   
little house in Japan, the onsen that floated over the lake, and the happy life   
they'd share together.  
  
=============================  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
NEXT TIME...  
CAHPTER ONE: DAY OF RECKONING  
The battle to take back Jurai begins. However, the Darklings have a surprise in   
store for Tenchi and company. 


	2. The Dark Lord of Jurai - Episode 3: Chap...

LEGAL DISCLIMER: Tenchi Muyo is the register copyright and trademark of AIC and   
Pioneer. All Rights Reserved. This work of fiction is written for   
entertainment purposes only and not for profit.  
=============================  
NOTES: This is the first chapter of the long in coming Episode Three of DLOJ.   
I have plans for the future of this continuity, including sequels, and maybe a   
new saga like this one. I brought Orrin back to the series for good, and I   
might bring the Darklings back again in a future series. My inspiration for   
this chapter came from historical events in World War II. The Battle of Britain   
has become a part of history when the Royal British Air Force fended off Nazi   
warplanes over England. History records this as "Their Finest Hour", quoting   
the words of then Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The RAF was outnumbered by   
the Nazi air force yet they held their own and saved Great Britain. It is sad   
that it took the events of 9/11 to bring such courage out in people once again,   
but it goes to show that where there is integrity there is also courage and   
honor of the same caliber as those brave fliers who gave their lives in the   
skies over London. It is something the terrorists can never claim to possess,   
and it is something that will ultimately lead to their total destruction. This   
chapter is dedicated to those people who have laid down their lives or are   
risking their lives around the world so that we can remain free.  
--The-Zorch  
=============================  
THE DARK LORD OF JURAI  
EPISODE THREE - NO NEED FOR AN APPOCALYPSE  
By Michael "The-Zorch" Haney  
  
CHAPTER ONE: DAY OF RECKONING   
=============================  
  
Kagato stormed back and forth through the throne room of the Jurai palace.   
Darkling technicians in humanoid force were assembling the pieces of what looked   
like an organic computer. It had a large three lobed brain encased in a massive   
glass bubble. They connected this brain to the main part of the structure and   
it immediately came to life.  
"What is this thing?" Kagato asked the Regis.  
The Regis walked around the large living machine and ran her hands over it   
as if caressing a lover. She looked at Kagato and said, "This is a cerebrate, a   
living computer that can assist in coordinating our forces on this planet."  
Kagato was a little impressed at the sight of the thing. He had seen what   
Darkling technology could do and was surprised. For all the things he learn   
over the past five thousand years much of it was nothing compared to what these   
being s understood. He was most impressed with the immense power he now   
controlled. He could feel himself growing in strength everyday, and with every   
victim he fed upon.  
"Interesting." Was all he could say.  
"I am aware. I am ready." Said a deep voice from the cerebrate.  
"Excellent." Said the Regis.  
So far the Darkness has been suffering setbacks. It was discovered that   
Tenchi, most of all Orrin, was still alive. Kagato marveled at the alien's   
immense powers and how effortlessly he destroyed two ships in space. What was   
even more amazing was the fact that Orrin did it without a space ship. This   
showed what kind of power they were up against. Still, Kagato could still feel   
apprehension from the Regis concerning Tenchi. He did not understand why she   
was so worried, but he learned quickly to never underestimate her senses.  
"I feel many humanoid life forms surrounding this location." Said the   
cerebrate.  
"Yes, they are out enemy. They may plan to attack us soon." The Regis   
said.  
"Probability of enemy victory calculated at 1.08947 percent." The   
cerebrate said.  
"Can this thing find the boy Tenchi?" Kagato asked.  
"Perhaps, it has many unique abilities." The Regis replied.  
"Probability of enemy defeat calculated at 99.99 percent." The cerebrate   
added.  
Kagato sat at the throne and shot the Regis a crooked smile. "Can it tell   
us anything we don't already know?"  
The Regis shot him with a withering glance and turned towards the machine.   
"Do a scan for pockets of Jurai energy." She said.  
"Beginning scan." Said the cerebrate.  
"That is assuming it knows what it is looking for." Said Kagato.\  
"The cerebrate has already been programmed to understand Juraian energy.   
It is only a matter of time before we discover where Tenchi and the others are   
hiding. With their level of powers it should not been too long." The Regis   
said.  
A holographic image sprang into existence about the cerebrate showing a   
globe of Jurai. A red indicator appeared over the ocean to the south of the   
capital city. It was the ocean that separated the northern and southern   
continents.  
"Jurai energy detected." It said.  
"See." Said the Regis.  
Kagato stood up from the throne and walked up to the machine. "Command   
the Xevius to move to that location and assume a geosyncronous orbit. Then,   
open fire."  
The Regis walked around to Kagato and started to feel up and down his   
body. Before becoming a Darkling, Kagato rarely every thought about women in a   
sexual manner. He was too occupied searching for the ultimate power he so   
desperately wanted to possess. For the few thousand years he controlled Ryoko   
he contemplated using her for other purposes than fighting from time to time,   
but he never did. Now it was a different time, and a different situation. He   
was now finding himself overcome with desires that seemed almost unquenchable.   
He made love with the Regis on a daily basis, and many times had sex with his   
victims as he fed on their essence. He noticed the changes, and the liked them.  
"I like brute force too." Said the Regis as she gently rubbed her hands   
along Kagato's crouch.  
Kagato moved her hands away and said, "Tonight, after our final victory   
over these mundane creatures. We can make love rolling in their entrails."  
  
Tenchi and Orrin were the first to wake up. Tenchi woke Aeka and Ryoko,   
and they went off to get the rest of the crew up out of bed. Orrin went to the   
bridge and activated the main controls. Washu was already awake and was   
starting a simple breakfast in the galley for everybody. Sasami told Tenchi it   
was a good idea for everyone to eat something before going out because they   
would need all the energy they could get.  
On the bridge, Yuko and Darius took their posts. Orrin was working on   
plotting a course to the South Pole when Kryton spoke up. Actually he was   
shouting. "I am detecting the Xevius in geosyncronous orbit above this   
location!"  
"What!" exclaimed Darius.  
"When did this happen?" Orrin asked.  
"Just now, sire." Kryton said.  
Darius logged into this console and started scanning the area of space   
above them. "How the hell did they find us?" he asked.  
"I don't have enough data to guess a reason." The ship replied.  
Darius shot up out of his seat as data started to stream onto his screen.   
"Oh shit! That things is charging up to fire!"  
  
"Red Alert! Red Alert! All hands brace for emergency launch!" Kryton   
shouted through the whole ship.  
  
"It's way to early in the morning for this shit!" Ryoko shouted before   
taking a bite out of her breakfast muffin.  
  
Back at the Jurai palace the cerebrate was watching the situation very   
carefully. "Target has moved from location. Reacquiring."  
Kryton launched out of the ocean at full speed. Everyone onboard grabbed   
anything that was bolted down to keep from being thrown around. As they   
traveled Darius noticed the targeting beam of the Xevius was tracking them.  
"They are trying to target us." He said.  
"Kryton, is the stealth system working?" Orrin asked.  
"It is. Engaging cloak now." The ship replied.  
The Kryton visually vanished and disappeared off the sensor arrays of the   
Xevius. Back at the palace the cerebrate relayed the information to Kagato and   
the Regis. "Target has engaged cloaking field. Unable to reacquire."  
"Can you still detect their Jurai energy?" Kagato asked it.  
"Affirmative." Said the cerebrate.  
Kagato looked at the Regis and then got an interesting idea. This would   
test the true metal of the cerebrate's capabilities. "Cerebrate, correlate the   
data from the Jurai energy scan with the targeting system on the Xevius and   
acquire a lock that way." He told the machine.  
"Creating custom algorithm. Algorithm created. Executing." Said the   
cerebrate.  
  
On the Kryton, Darius watched the tactical display showing the Xevius. A   
blue cloudy region indicated where its sensor array was scanning, and that sweep   
was nowhere near where they were. Suddenly the sweep shot direction towards   
them, and somehow the ship acquired a targeting lock.  
"They have us targeted!" Darius cried.  
"That isn't possible!" Orrin shouted.  
"I am detecting a positive lock. They are somehow targeting us, sire."   
Said Kryton.  
"They're firing!" Darius shouted.  
Orrin slammed the controls to the left and turned the ship as quickly as   
he could. He put the throttle to full power and hoped they would make it away   
in time. A massive energy beam lanced out of the sky and streaked past them.  
"That was close." Yuko said.  
"They are attempting to lock onto us again." Said Kryton.  
"How the hell are they doing this?" asked Darius.  
Washu rushed onto the bridge and went to the science station. "What is   
going on?" she asked.  
"The Xevius is firing at us." Orrin told her.  
"Why not cloak the ship." Said Washu.  
"We did, but they are still targeting us." Darius told her.  
Washu looked surprised for a moment and then she called up her holographic   
laptop and started typing franticly.  
"Another one is coming in at 245.902.23!" Darius shouted. Orrin turned   
the ship sent it into a dive just as another beam struck from the sky.  
"I've analyze the weapon and we will be unable to defect a blast of that   
magnitude." Kryton said.  
"No shit." Said Darius.  
Washu worked franticly on her computer. She looked at everything that   
they could be using to track them. She first checked the EM spectrum but found   
no unaccounted for signals coming from the ship. That wasn't it. She checked   
the infrared spectrum and high-frequency spectrum for anything. Everything they   
could be using to track them was shielded by the cloaking array. As Orrin   
dodged the ship around another energy blast she got the idea to scan for energy   
fields that were not being shielded by the cloaking array. She checked   
everything, and suddenly found what she was looking for.  
"It's Tenchi!" she shouted.  
"What?" Orrin replied with a shout.  
"It's his Jurai power, they are tracking us by his Jurai power. His   
energy signature extends past the cloaking field." Said Washu.  
"My scans of the Xevius indicate that it does not have the equipment to   
scan for Jurai power." Said Kryton.  
Washu started working at her computer again. She put her full   
concentration and intellect into the task this time because time was at the   
essence. Data streamed across her screen so fast that anyone else looking at it   
would only see gibberish, but to Washu it was crystal clear.  
"There is a scanning beam being bounced off the Xevius that is operating   
at a frequency of 100.45 Google-Hz." She said.  
Darius looked over at her and slammed his fist into this console. "Son of   
a bitch! They have a fucking cerebrate!" he shouted.  
Washu's head shot up from her laptop. "What is a cerebrate?"  
"A living computer. They used to be a sentient race of super-intelligent   
beings until the Darklings subjugated them and turned them into machines that   
obey their will only." Said Orrin.  
"Those things never give up. They will keep calculating new algorithms   
until they find one that works." Said Darius.  
"We need to shield Tenchi energy signature then. And I know how to do   
it." Said Washu. She leaped to her feet and ran from the bridge. Washu grabbed   
the thin rails that ran along the corridors as Orrin turned the Kryton to avoid   
another blast from Xevius. Soon she arrived at the galley where Tenchi and the   
others were gathered. They were trying to keep each other from flying around   
the room because of the quickly maneuvers of the ship.  
"Washu what the hell is going on?" Ryoko asked.  
"Tenchi, go to my lab, quick!" shouted Washu.  
"Huh? Why?" asked Tenchi.  
"Because those monsters are using your energy signature to lock their   
weapons onto us, that's why!" shouted Washu.  
Tenchi's face grew determined and he nodded. He stood up and ran down the   
corridor towards the entrance to the lab. When Tenchi was inside, Washu scanned   
again, but found more energy penetrating the cloaking field. She turned around   
and looked at the others. Ryoko, Aeka and Sasami were all seated together. She   
then remembered Sasami new situation and Ryoko's gems.  
"Ryoko, Sasami, you too. Get going they can see you too." Said Washu.  
The two women complied just as the ship lurched to one side steeply.   
Luckily Ryoko's ability to fly saved the day and she was able to help Sasami   
maintain her footing. When they entered the lab Washu could not detect any   
further energy outside the cloaking field.  
  
"Jurai energy signatures no longer detected." Said the cerebrate.  
Kagato was impressed with how fast the computer learned and how fast it   
adapted to a new situation. This was certainly no toy. He turned to Regis and   
she was grinning from ear to ear.  
"That was simple." Said Kagato.  
"Sensors detect no evidence of debris." Said the cerebrate.  
"With that weapon I doubt there would be any." Kagato said.  
The Regis caressed the cerebrate lovingly and then sauntered back to   
Kagato. "Now we destroy the rest of these wretched creatures and launch our   
assault to conquer this universe." Said the Regis.  
  
Aeka went to the lab to stay with Tenchi and Ryoko. While they were   
inside their links seemed distant and it was a feeling that was unsettling for   
her. Washu come in soon after and explained what had been happening.  
"So they have a living computer that can detect our powers?" asked Tenchi.  
"That's right." Said Washu.  
"If its not one damn thing its another with these damn creatures." Said   
Ryoko.  
"So, if Tenchi, Ryoko, and Sasami leave the lab that giant ship can target   
us." Said Aeka.  
"For now, yes. But I might have something that can shield your Jurai   
powers." Said Washu.  
"Well, we can't stay in here all damn day that's for sure." Ryoko said.  
"Orrin is having Kryton place the first device now. We should have the   
second placed in about an hour or so. So, that gives me enough time to get those   
shields ready for you three." Said Washu.  
"Please hurry Miss Washu. Once your machines are working we have to make   
our move on the palace." Tenchi said.  
"I'm on it, Tenchi." Washu told him and then she was gone into the depths   
of her lab.  
  
Orrin and Kryton walked over the frozen waste of the southern polar region   
of Jurai. It was much colder here than on Earth, and it was night time as well.   
The cold nights on Jurai's south pole lasted for almost ten months, and it had   
only two weeks of daylight.  
Orrin did not wear any special suits. An energy field that protected him   
from the cold surrounded him. He was also practiced at suppressing his energy   
signature in case the Darklings tried to target them using his energy.  
"It is in place, sire." Said Kryton.  
"Good, turn it on and let get back to the ship." Orrin said.  
  
Washu returned fifteen minutes later from a subspace doorway that was   
linked to different planets of her lab. She handed Tenchi, Ryoko, and Sasami   
wristwatch like devices. She explained they would shield their powers from the   
cerebrate so they could not be detected.  
They were all happy to be out of the lab. Tenchi and his wives went to   
the bridge. They watched through the holographic display that the ship was on   
the move again.  
"I see Washu found a way to keep our friends from seeing you." Said Orrin.  
"Those monsters sure are really inventive, aren't they? I mean it's a   
real piece of work using our powers to target us." Said Tenchi.  
Orrin nodded in agreement. "You never know what to expect when dealing   
with Darklings."  
"So, your going to plant that second device?" asked Ryoko.  
"We're headed there now." Said Orrin.  
"Good. As soon as we do we're going to the palace to hand Kagato his   
balls." Said Ryoko.  
Orrin raised his hands towards her. "Hold on little Miss Bloodlust. We   
still have the Xevius to deal with, they could use it to attack the ground   
forces around the capital."  
"Got that covered, Dad." Said Darius.  
"Yes, my scans of the Xevius has detected a weakness in their defense that   
we can exploit." Kryton added.  
Orrin looked at his son and said, "Ok. When we go for the palace you take   
the Kryton and handle the Xevius."  
Sasami stood up and added, "I'll summon the Tsunami to help out, too."  
The hatch to the bridge opened and Noboyuki and Kiyone walked in. "We are   
having a meeting?" Noboyuki asked.  
"Sort of. We're deciding our next action after Washu's second device is   
put into place." Said Tenchi.  
"Well, if you're going after the Regis I'm in." said Noboyuki.  
"Huh?" said Tenchi.  
"I owe that bitch for what she did to me and Kiyone." He said.  
Ryoko smiled and said, "There is hope for you yet, Noboyuki."  
"Ryoko! Don't encourage him! Of course your not coming." Said Tenchi.  
"Why not?" asked Noboyuki.  
Tenchi was taken aback. He didn't really know how to answer that   
question. He was still thinking about his father as an ordinary human with no   
special powers, but now he was very different and possessed the immense powers   
of a Darkling. Tenchi cleared his throat and said, "Ok, but if things gets too   
heated I want you to get out of the palace."  
"Deal." Said Noboyuki and he shook his son's hand.  
"I am coming also." Said Katsuhito who just walked on to the bridge.  
"Good to have you along Dad." Said Noboyuki.  
"I can't let you have all of the fun to yourselves can I." The elder   
Masaki said with a smile.  
"Ok. We got our strike team. Kryton what is our ETA?" asked Orrin.  
"Ten minutes, sire." Replied Kryton.  
When the ship arrived at the northern pole of Jurai, Orrin and Kryton left   
the ship to place the device. Washu waited at the hatch for their return. When   
the inner door opened she smiled warmly at the man she loved. He was still   
shrouded in his aura of protective energy.  
"Ok, they are all in place." Orrin told her.  
"The wave should be reaching the edge of the solar system in a few hours.   
We can have Fonaho move the fleet at that time." Said Washu.  
Orrin walked up to her and dispelled his energy field. He wrapped his   
arms around her and kissed her tenderly. "We've both been so busy we haven't   
had much time for each other." He said. Washu returned his kiss. It was a deep   
and passionate kiss, and the two lovers held it there for several minutes not   
wanting to let go. Their lips parted but they still held each other close in   
their arms, their faces only inches apart.  
"I love you." Orrin told her.  
"I love you too." Washu replied.  
Arm in arm the two lovers walked to their private quarters. As they   
walked down the corridor, Tenchi and his two wives could see them starting to   
strip one another next to their bed before the doors to the room closed off   
their view. All Tenchi could do was look at Ryoko and then at Aeka.  
"And I thought I was the one who was always horny." Ryoko said.  
"I think Orrin is the best thing that has ever happened to Washu." Aeka   
added.  
"Well, after that story she told us about her husband from twenty thousand   
years ago, I think she deserves some happiness." Tenchi said.  
The trio continued on to their own quarters. Once inside Ryoko looked   
over at the bed and then she looked at Aeka. Aeka was thinking the same thing,   
and of course they both literally knew it. Tenchi caught on to their train of   
thought very quickly since the two girls did not bother to try and keep this   
thought a secret.  
"Tenchi, ever since all of this started neither of us have had a chance to   
be alone with you." Ryoko said.  
"Yes, the last time we were able to be alone was back on Yagami." Aeka   
added.  
"I know, ladies, but everything has been nuts lately. The crash, the rush   
to reach Jurai, the fight at the palace, running for our lives in this ship, and   
now our imminent attack on the palace." Tenchi said.  
Tenchi sat down on the bed and cradled his head in his hands. Aeka and   
Ryoko sat down on either side of him and softly caressed his arms and shoulders.  
"We know this has been especially hard on you Tenchi." Aeka said.  
Tenchi patted the two on the leg, then looked up and smiled at them both.   
"I guess its been too much too fast." He said.  
"Aeka let go." Ryoko said and she held up her hand. The two women did a   
very quick game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Aeka held out her hand flat.   
"Paper." She said. Ryoko made a fist. "Paper covers rock." Aeka continued.   
"Drat." Ryoko hissed.  
Tenchi looked at the two and asked, "Huh, what are you two doing?" Ryoko   
gave Tenchi a soft kiss on the lips and replied, "I'll be in the galley talking   
with Sasami." She floated off the bed and teleported away. Tenchi looked at   
Aeka but wasn't able to form the words he was about to say because Aeka was   
suddenly all over him.  
"Oh, that's why." Tenchi said in a pleased tone as Aeka pulled up his   
shirt and started kissing him across his chest.  
  
The next morning Kryton pinpointed the location of Jurai military command   
center. It was a makeshift base made up of tents and portable buildings, but it   
was all they put together in short notice after the southern base was   
obliterated. Admiral Shakar was in charge of the operation and he was very   
pleased to see everyone was safe. He was even more please to hear word of   
Washu's device from Fonaho.  
"So, these devices prevent them from suppressing magic?" the admiral asked   
her.  
"Yes. We will be on an equal footing with them now. The wave reaches far   
into space so we can contact the fleet and tell them it is safe to engage the   
enemy." Fonaho explained.  
Admiral Shakar slammed his fist into his other hand and said, "This is the   
news we have been hoping to able to hear, your majesty. Now we can move on   
these monsters and take back our planet."  
"Lord Tenchi has assembled a special strike team that will entered the   
royal palace to confront Kagato and the Darkling Regis. Once they are out of   
the way the Darkling forces will be demoralized and weakened. Tackling them   
afterwards will be relatively easy." Fonaho told him.  
Shakar looked at the Queen of Jurai. "Lord Tenchi is leading a strike on   
the palace. But, he is next in line to the throne. Don't you think it is a   
little dangerous for him to go on such a mission with the Emperor terminally   
ill?" he asked.  
"You know as well as I that Tenchi is more than capable of handling this   
mission. Besides, with Miss Washu's energy wave in place his powers are at full   
strength against the Darklings." Fonaho replied.  
Admiral Shakar thought for a moment and rubbed his beard. "That does make   
sense now that I think about it. And, he has had experience dealing with Kagato   
in the past." He said.  
"My son Yosho, Ryoko, Princess Aeka, Lord Orrin, and Tenchi's father   
Noboyuki make up the team." Fonaho said.  
Shakar looked surprised at the mention of the last person on the list.   
"Does he have combat experience? He is an ordinary human isn't he?" he asked.  
Fonaho raised her hands to the admiral and explained, "Noboyuki's case is   
very unique. He was infected by the invaders, but he has regained control."  
"What! He is one of those things?" asked Shakar. His eyes were as wide   
as dinner plates.  
"Relax, Miss Washu thoroughly examined him and found that the brain of the   
Darkling parasite inside of him was severely damaged by some force. That force   
was very well Noboyuki's will trying to free itself, and a small amount of Jurai   
power that he was born with. His family distantly related to Yosho. My son had   
many children throughout the centuries he lived on Earth." Fonaho explained.  
Shakar seemed to relax a little. "You're convinced that he is safe,   
then?" he asked her.  
"If Miss Washu is convince, then I am convinced." Fonaho told him.  
  
Juraian soldiers looked admiringly at the sleek shape of the Kryton as it   
sat just outside the base. They had never seen a ship quite like it before.   
Inside Orrin was going over some last minute flight checks with his son. Kryton   
was in his avatar making a few last minute checks on some of his subsystems. In   
the lab, Washu was checking on the Emperor's progress. The Dark Energy was gone   
from seventy-five percent of his body, and already his RNA had started to repair   
the damaged made to his DNA. This was a good sign. Unfortunately, some of the   
damage caused to his body would not be so easily repaired. Azusa would survive,   
but he would not be the man that he was.  
In their quarters, Ryoko was phasing in her black and red battle suit.   
Tenchi had also shift to his Juraian battle gear, and Aeka as just switching   
into her own. Ryo-Ohki phased through the door to the room and looked up at the   
three. She sat back on her haunches and meowed loudly.  
"Ryo-Ohki. Did you come to wish us good luck?" Ryoko asked cheerfully.   
She picked up the little Cabbit and petted her head.  
"Miya, miya miya miya." Meowed the Cabbit.  
`"No, this is going to be a really dangerous mission, so I want you to stay   
close to Sasami." Ryoko told her.  
"Miya." Ryo-Ohki meowed with a pout.  
Tenchi walked up and scratch her behind the ears, this made Ryo-Ohki's   
hind leg twitch with delight. "I have a little mission for you Ryo-Ohki. We   
want you to watch over Sasami. If things get really hairy for her in space   
against that giant space ship we want you go get her out of there." Tenchi told   
her. "Can you do that, Ryo-Ohki?" asked Ryoko.  
Ryo-Ohki nodded her head and meowed proudly. "Great, when this is all   
over I promise to get your carrot fields back into shape again. They're   
probably overgrown with weeds by now." Said Tenchi.  
"MIYA!" Ryo-Ohki meowed loudly and leaped joyously into the air. She gave   
the three a little military salute with her paw and raced for the door. She   
jumped to phase through but ended up bouncing off of it. The second time around   
she phased through without a problem.  
Elsewhere in the ship, Mihoshi was in Kiyone and Noboyuki's quarters   
helping them move into the base. Chani, who had been under Washu's medical care   
since she arrived, was with them. She was a completely different little girl   
now before. The dirty little child in tattered clothing was now a beautiful   
young lady. She was even wearing one of Sasami's old kimonos. Chani was around   
Sasami's size, the size when she was still a child herself.  
"I think it's so brave of you to go on this mission, Mr. Masaki." Said   
Mihoshi.  
"Well, it's the least I can do. I mean all of you have save me a few   
times since we left Earth so it's time I returned the favor." Noboyuki replied.  
Kiyone saw that old look in the young man's face and she slapped him on   
the back of the head. "What was that for?" he asked her.  
"You know what it was for." She told him. Then she looked over at   
Mihoshi. Noboyuki did the same and then he looked at Kiyone with a hurt look on   
his face. "You don't really think that I was-" he started to say.  
"You were starting to, old habits die hard. I am going to make sure they   
die out completely." Kiyone said with a crooked smile. She turned to Mihoshi   
who had been practically gushing over how brave Noboyuki was about going on this   
mission with Tenchi for nearly and hour now. "And as for you, he's my man so   
quit trying to flirt with him!" shouted Kiyone.  
"I'm not trying to flirt Kiyone, honest." Said Mihoshi with her puppy dog   
eyes, but this time they were working on Kiyone. "Well, I couldn't help it. He   
is pretty cute." She added.  
"Huh, huh? And I thought you and Orrin's son Darius were an item." Said   
Kiyone.  
"Well, we decided to just be friends." Mihoshi said innocently as she   
steepled her fingers. Kiyone looked at her with some surprise and said, "Oh,   
yea, after you banged his brains out like you do all the other guys we meet. I   
swear I wish I had quarter for every one-night-stand you've had since we became   
partners." Said Kiyone.  
Mihoshi looked shocked at what she just heard. "I am not that loose!" she   
shouted.  
"No, then why do half the guys back at headquarters call you Moaning   
Mihoshi?" asked Kiyone.  
"Can I help it if I'm a friendly person!" Mihoshi cried and the tears   
started to flow.  
"There is big different between being friendly and being easy." Kiyone   
added. Noboyuki decided that he had enough and he stepped in between the two   
women.  
"Kiyone, first of all, I think your being pretty cruel to Mihoshi. And,   
secondly, never during the entire time I was with Achika did a I ever so much as   
look at another woman. With you I will do the same thing." He said.  
Mihoshi was sitting on the floor with tears pouring from her eyes and   
Kiyone felt very small. She had taken her fear for Noboyuki going on this   
mission and used it to attack Mihoshi for no good reason. She knew that   
Noboyuki would never cheat on her. He had a reputation for being devoted the to   
women he loved. He was very devoted to his late wife, talking to her in his   
prayers, and tending to her gravesite near the shrine every day.  
"Mihoshi, I'm sorry. I'm just scared with everything that is going on   
right now. I didn't really mean to say the things I did." Said Kiyone.  
Mihoshi whipped her eyes and looked up at her friend and partner. "Do you   
mean it, Kiyone?" she asked. "Yes, I mean it." Kiyone replied. Mihoshi jumped   
up and wrapped her arms around Kiyone. "Oh, Kiyone, thank you, thank you!" she   
cried. Just at that moment, Mihoshi's weight made Kiyone go off balance and she   
staggered backwards. Noboyuki moved swiftly to try and catch them but even he   
was too late. The two women came crashing down and knocked over the boxes they   
had been packing. Now everything was scattered all over the floor.  
"Mihoshi!" growled Kiyone.  
"Opps. Sorry about that Kiyone. I guess I got carried away." Mihoshi   
said innocently and giggled girlishly. Kiyone and Noboyuki just sighed   
exasperatedly.  
  
A few hours into the day passed and Emperor Azusa's treatment was   
complete. He came out of his induced coma and was able to communicate. He was   
unable to walk, however. Fonaho and Misaki listened as Washu explained that the   
dark energy poisoning had done more than DNA damage. It had also caused   
cellular damage that would be harder to repair. The Emperor's spinal column was   
one of the systems in his body that was effect.  
"How long will these effects last?" Azusa asked in a weak voice.  
"I won't lie to you, Azusa, but this condition could last for years.   
Maybe even indefinitely." Washu told him.  
"Is there anything you can do, Miss Washu?" asked Misaki.  
Washu started typing on her holographic laptop and said, "I will put   
together a regiment of physical rehabilitation and medication that might restore   
his ability to walk within say a year. However, there is no guarantee it will   
work."  
"That dammed Kagato did this to me. He know this was going to happen, I   
know it." Said Azusa.  
"It's likely he intended to kill you. Dark energy can be very nasty when   
it comes into contact with living flesh." Said Washu.  
"Is there anything else I should be aware of?" the Emperor asked.  
"Well, I wouldn't recommend eating any solid foods for a few days. The   
infection left your digestive system a mess, but I can clear that up easily.   
And, your immune system is weak also, so I'll have to give you full spectrum   
inoculation for any know viruses. Even the common Juraian flu could be fatal to   
you in your state." Washu said as she continued to type away at her laptop.  
"Before Tenchi and the others leave for the palace, I think it would be a   
good idea if the troops saw that the Emperor was well. It would be good for   
moral." Said Fonaho.  
Washu nodded in agreement. "I agree. Moral has been low from what I   
hear." She said.  
"What is this about Tenchi?" Azusa asked.  
"It was before you awakened, dear. Tenchi is leading a strike force into   
the palace to take out Kagato and the Darkling Regis." Fonaho explained.  
"Yosho is going with him, as well as Aeka, Ryoko, Orrin, and Tenchi's   
father." Said Misaki.  
"Tenchi's father was found." the Emperor said in surprise.  
"Noboyuki was implant with a Darkling larva, and turned into one of them.   
However, it appears that a combination of a small amount of dormant Jurai power   
and his own will power overwhelmed the Darkling mind controlling him and he is   
now free of its dark influence. The Parasite is pretty much brain dead, and   
Noboyuki's human personality has taken over." Washu explained.  
The Emperor looked a little shocked and overwhelmed at this development.   
"Is it even possible?" he asked. "Well, Orrin said it happened once before a   
long time ago, so it is likely it could happen again." Washu replied.  
"Anyway, they are leaving today. Orrin's son and daughter are going to   
take the ship into orbit and deal with a powerful battleship that invaders used   
to destroy the southern base." Said Fonaho.  
Azusa nodded. "A tragedy that is. So many good young men lost." He said.  
"Admiral Shakar is going to send the troops into the capital city soon   
after Tenchi's team reaches the palace. The fleet will engage the enemy ships   
in orbit, and Orrin's son will handle that giant spaceship." Said Fonaho.  
"Did the Holy Council make it to safety?" Azusa asked.  
"Luckily most of them survived. Arch Prelate Annias and several of the   
members of the council were on route to the base when it was destroyed. Some of   
the councilmen were in the base when it was destroyed. The rest with the Arch   
Prelate are here in this makeshift base." Explained Fonaho.  
"There is more, dear. Its about Sasami." Said Misaki.  
Azusa tried to sit up, but he was still too weak. "What about Sasami?" he   
asked. There a little bit of fear in his voice.  
"It is nothing life-threatening. She has completed her assimilation with   
Tsunami. You should see her, she is absolutely beautiful." Said Fonaho.  
As if on cue the door to the lab opened and Sasami entered the lab. She   
seemed to almost glide across the floor over to his father's medical bed. Her   
walk was that graceful. The immensity of Sasami's beauty brought tears to   
Azusa's eyes. He reached for her and Sasami took his hand.  
"My little Sasami, you've grown so much." He said.  
"I'm not little anymore, Daddy. How are you feeling?" Sasami asked.  
"Like I was in a game of Tackle Ball, and I was the ball." Azusa laughed.  
Sasami smiled and leaned down and kissed her father on the cheek. Azusa   
felt a strange sensation in her kiss and immediately all of the aches and pains   
in his body suddenly went away. Warning alarms went off on the Washu's laptop.   
Washu gasped and looked at her laptop screen, and then looked up at Sasami.  
"Sister, cut that out! You almost gave me a heart attack. His heart rate   
and blood pressure just leaped up nearly seventy percent in two seconds!" Washu   
shouted. Sasami just giggled girlishly.  
Using his arms to lift him up, still unable to move his legs, Azusa sat   
up. Fonaho and Misaki moved to help him stay steady. "Sister?" he asked and   
looked at Sasami.  
"Tsunami and Washu are sisters, so now that I am also Tsunami I am her   
sister also." Explained Sasami.  
Azusa scratched his had in signature Tenchi style. "Now I'm confused."  
"You get used to it." Fonaho told him.  
  
Tenchi, Aeka, and Ryoko walked down the boarding ramp of the Kryton and   
were met by Katsuhito and Admiral Shakar. They exchanged greetings and   
handshakes. The Admiral invited them into his private tent. The spacious   
structure was modest inside. The admiral had a cot for a bed, a table with a   
small electric lamb for at night, and a table with a few chairs. The table had   
several dozen different maps of the capital city and the surrounding countryside   
piled on top of it. Shakar pour each of them a drink.  
\"It isn't sake, but it is considered a fine drink on Jurai." He explained.  
"Ah, Sagaris Wine. Finest drink on planet Jurai." Said Katsuhito as he   
took a sip of his glass.  
"Not bad, tastes almost like sake." Said Ryoko.  
"Let us toast to our imminent victory over these invaders." Said the   
admiral. Shakar held up his glass and the others did the same. "Cheers." They   
all said as they brought their glasses together.  
"Father should be ready soon. We also have to wait for Orrin." Said   
Tenchi.  
"Darius and Sasami are going to take on that Xevius thing." Said Ryoko.  
Aeka finished off her glass and said, "It will be almost as dangerous as   
what we are about to do."  
"Kagato was very powerful before he became one of these monsters. We have   
no way of knowing just how much more powerful he has become." Katsuhito said.  
"Everyone has a weakness. You taught me that grandpa. And, you also   
taught me that the bigger they are the harder they fall." Tenchi said.  
"This is true Tenchi. Kagato may be immensely powerful now, but he has an   
Achilles' heel. The key is knowing where to find it." Katsuhito replied.  
"We also have that bitch to take care of too." Ryoko added.  
Admiral Shakar poured them all a fresh drink saying, "I wish you all a   
safe journey to the palace, and glorious victory when you get there. The hopes   
of the future of our planet rest on your shoulders."  
"We'll do our best." Said Aeka.  
  
Orrin, Noboyuki, Kiyone, and Mihoshi walked down the boarding ramp and   
were greeted by the others. The Admiral greeted Noboyuki and marveled at how   
young he looked compared to Tenchi. After these meeting they came together in   
the main command center. It was a portable building, the inside linked with   
portable computer consoles. Each console had a technician working at it. These   
consoles monitored air traffic, communications, and troop movements all over the   
region. A holographic emitter on the floor projected a tactical map of the area   
in the middle of the room.  
"There is an entrance into the underground catacombs that run below the   
palace here. It is near the village of Watocha. That is about ten miles from   
the capital city, and well behind our lines." Said the admiral.  
"We'll need to travel ten miles underground?" asked Tenchi.  
"No, there is a maglev tram system that runs through the catacombs to   
transport the royal family away from the palace incase of evacuation." Shakar   
replied. The holographic display changed to show the underground catacombs and   
the tram system that ran through it.  
"It must have been built after me and Sasami left Jurai to find Yosho."   
Aeka said.  
"Yes, Ryoko's attacks on the palace made us see the necessity for such   
things." Shakar replied.  
"In a way you guys should be thanking me then." Ryoko said.  
"Ryoko." Tenchi said exasperatedly.  
"Sorry." She said and leaned her arm on his shoulder.  
Admiral Shakar coughed to clear his throat and said, "The tram leads to a   
lift shaft that opens up in the grand dinning room just off of the throne room."  
The holographic image changed to reflect this and showed a shaft rising up   
through the rock and soil towards the inner sections of the palace. "The doors   
to the lift will only react to members of the royal family. This means that   
only Tenchi, Lord Yosho, and Princess Aeka can operate it. I do not know if it   
will react to Lady Ryoko unless the royal trees know of her marriage to lord   
Tenchi." Said Shakar.  
"Believe me, they know, because Sasami knows and she is Tsunami." Ryoko   
told him.  
"So I hear. From this point you will be in the palace. On the other side   
the dinning room is the entrance to the throne room. Our intelligence tells us   
the Darklings are using the throne room as their base of operations." Shakar   
said.  
"Looks simple enough." Noboyuki commented.  
"Looks can be deceiving." Katsuhito interjected.  
"The hardest part of this will be fighting Kagato and the Regis." Said   
Tenchi.  
Orrin studied the holographic display a bit more closely and asked, "Are   
there any defenses in these catacombs?"  
"Oh yes, there are automated sentry cannons." The admiral explained.  
"And there is no other way to get down there besides the lift?" Orrin   
asked.  
"As far as I know, it is the only way." Said Shakar.  
Ryoko stepped forward saying, "Hold on. I remember a service lift that   
went into some catacombs when we were chasing Zarlova."  
Admiral Shakar looked at her in surprise and asked, "Where was this lift?"  
Aeka stepped forward and point at the area around the royal living   
quarters. "It was in this area. It was a part of the service way that ran   
within the walls." She explained.  
"If the Darklings know about that through Zarlova's brain leech." Said   
Orrin. "We could be in for a difficult journey." Katsuhito added.  
"Well, bring'em on. I like fighting my way in compared to all of this   
cloak and dagger shit." Said Ryoko.  
"Ok, lets assume they know about this lift. We'll need to be extra   
cautious. Don't let your guard down for a second in those tunnels." Orrin told   
them.  
"Once we get word from you we'll move our forces in and attack." Admiral   
Shakar said.  
Noboyuki clapped his hands saying, "Well, sounds like a plan. I like it."  
  
There was a sudden commotion outside the building. Several shouts and   
then cheers from hundreds of the troops stationed outside. Before anyone would   
move to investigate a parade of people entered the building. In the lead were   
Empress Misaki and Queen Fonaho of Planet Jurai. Between them, sitting in a   
hover chair, was the Emperor of Jurai. Behind them walked Princess Sasami and   
Washu.  
"Father!" Aeka cried and she ran to Azusa and hugged him tightly.  
"My dear Aeka. It is good to see you." Azusa said. His voice was still a   
little weak.  
"Your majesty. I am pleased to see that you are doing well, sire." Said   
Admiral Shakar.  
"Thank you, admiral. Now, I understand that Lord Tenchi is leading an   
attack on the palace." Azusa said.  
"Yes, my lord." Shakar replied.  
"I have only one thing to say about this mission." Azusa said. Everyone   
looked at him. They were all afraid that he might disapprove of the mission.   
That would force them to come up with an alternative, and they knew this was the   
only way. The emperor turned to Tenchi and said, "Rip that asshole Kagato a new   
one for me."  
"Azusa, such language!" scolded Misaki.  
"That bastard left me crippled, possibly for life. I want to see him   
suffer for what he did to me and our people." Said Azusa.  
"Tenchi, Aeka, and I promise to make his death as slow and painful as   
possible. Even if it means our own deaths." Ryoko said with a wide smile.  
Tenchi, Aeka and all the others suddenly face faltered. "I think Ryoko is   
enjoying this way too much." Said Aeka. "You think?" Tenchi asked with a sigh.  
  
The time to leave had come. Darius, Yuko, and Mihoshi sat in the bridge   
of the Kryton. They looked through the holographic display at Tenchi and the   
others waving farewell as they lifted off into the sky. The Kryton streaked   
away at immense speed and vanished as Darius engaged the cloaking field. At   
such a fast speed, the ship was able to reach orbit in only a few moments.  
"Alright, now we wait for the signal from the Admiral." Said Darius.  
"Oh my god, I have that thing on the sensors. Its actually that big?"   
asked Mihoshi.  
"I never saw the Xevius in person. Dad was actually aboard it once, but I   
wasn't even born when that happened." Yuko said.  
"It may appear large and menacing, but its defenses are designed to fend   
off a massive assault. We are small enough to get in under their guns and   
strike their weak points." Kryton explained.  
"Where is Sasami?" Mihoshi asked. Suddenly there was a bright flash of   
blue light and Sasami appeared on the bridge. "I'm right here." She said.  
"Where is your ship?" Darius asked her.  
"Out there. It's in a subspace pocket. All I have to do is call it to me   
and we are ready to go." She said.  
  
A military hover vehicle entered the small village of Watocha. Civilians   
looked timidly out of their windows as rows of Juraian troops marched down their   
streets. The vehicle stopped at what looked like a public garden in the center   
of town.  
"The statue of Emperor Shadam the Fourth is the entrance to the   
catacombs." Admiral Shakar explained.  
"How do we open it?" Tenchi asked.  
"His sword arm moves up. When you move the arm it will reveal a button.   
The button will open a hatch at the base of the statue." Shakar told him.  
"Ok, have it from here. Good luck Admiral." Tenchi told him. Everyone   
climbed out of the vehicle and walked into the park. There were several   
statues, but Katsuhito knew which one to go to.  
"That is him. Shadam the Fourth, the second ruler and founder of the   
royal family of Jurai." Katsuhito said as he pointed out the statue. The man   
looked well built, had a long beard, and had a stern face. Despite all of this   
he seemed to have kind eyes. They did as Shakar said and soon had the hatch   
opened. Inside they found a sloping corridor that lead to large underground   
cavern beneath the village. A platform for the tram system was here, but the   
tramcar was nowhere in sight.  
"Hmmm. Maybe we need to find a control to bring the tramcar here." Said   
Tenchi.  
After searching the platform Katsuhito found a call control panel and used   
it to recall the tramcar. It was a short wait and soon the tramcar stopped at   
the platform and everyone boarded.  
"This is the point of no return." Said Orrin as he pressed a button on the   
tramcar controls and sent it rolling down the track. The ride was smooth since   
the tramcar was a maglev vehicle. It rode on a metallic track and was suspended   
about the track by a magnetic field. Lights on the tramcar illuminated the   
walls of the catacomb the track ran through. The walls were unmarred by   
construction machinery and left in their natural state. The sound of dripping   
water could be heard far ahead in the relative silence. The tramcar was very   
quiet except for a low humming noise.  
"We must be approaching the lake that surrounds the city." Said Aeka.  
"Is that what all that dripping is?" Ryoko asked.  
"We have tunnels like this on Earth, but this one was formed naturally   
from an ancient lava flow." Katsuhito said.  
A strange red glow began to illuminate the walls of the catacomb and the   
temperature started to rise. Tenchi moved his way to the front of the tramcar   
and peered in the murky darkness ahead. He sniffed the air and wrinkled his   
nose to the smell up ahead.  
"What is that stench?" Noboyuki asked.  
"Peeeyuuuu! Ok, who cut the cheese?" Ryoko asked.  
"Nobody, that's sulfur." Said Tenchi.  
Orrin moved up to the front of the tramcar and sniffed the air. "That's   
brimstone alright, we much be near a geyser or a sulfur pool. But, I didn't   
know there were any volcanoes in this area." He said.  
"Mt. Kindara which you can see from the highest tower of the palace was   
once a volcano. The capital city has around ten quakes a year because of the   
fault line in this region." Katsuhito told them.  
"I remember going through my first quake. Sasami and I were very young   
then." Aeka said.  
"I don't like this." Said Noboyuki.  
"Yeah, it does smell a lot." Ryoko said pinching her nose.  
"Not that. Don't any of you think it's strange that we got this far   
without them detecting us?" he asked.  
Everyone looked at Noboyuki for a moment. Tenchi looked down the dark   
catacomb and at the track that went off into the murky darkness ahead. "Maybe   
its because of the energy signature shields Ryoko and I are wearing." Tenchi   
said with a shrug.  
"I possess the power of Jurai also, but not as strongly as the three of   
you. They should have detected me." Katsuhito added.  
Orrin nodded. "I have to admit, its pretty strange." He said.  
  
Within the palace Kagato and the Regis were glued to the holographic   
display created by the cerebrate. They watched as the Kryton and the Tsunami   
started their attacks on the Xevius in space. The two ships appeared no larger   
than grains of sand next to the vast size of the old Imperium battle station.  
"What do they hope to gain by doing this?" the Regis asked.  
"That ship overpowers them a thousand to one." Kagato told her.  
The Regis thought for a moment and then said, "Ah, but the Elo'Quin's   
chosen one has a history with this battle station. He may know something about   
its weaknesses that we do not know."  
"Your not suggesting that those tiny ships can actually destroy that   
thing, do you?" Kagato asked her in disbelief.  
The Regis smiled at him. "Never underestimate your enemies, my dear   
Kagato." She said.  
"Unidentified energy signatures detected." Said the cerebrate.  
The holographic display of the battle in space switched to topographical   
rendering of the capital city. The camera angle changed to a position above   
ground, and then several red indicators appeared. They were several hundred   
feet underground and moving towards the palace.  
"One energy signature identified as Darkling, however, the energy   
frequency is abnormal." The cerebrate added.  
"Abnormal? Please explain." Asked Kagato.  
"Further analysis necessary. All Darkling entities contain Dark Energy at   
a specific frequency. This Darkling signature is devoid of this energy." The   
Cerebrate answered. Kagato and the Regis looked at one another. "Noboyuki!"   
the Regis cried.  
  
  
Darius maneuvered Kryton around several massive energy blasts. His   
piloting skills were almost on par with his father's. Mihoshi looked up from   
her station and was frightened by the enormous size of the battle station. The   
scene reminded her of the trench battle scene from Star Wars. If the Xevius had   
been a giant sphere it would have looked like the Death Star, but it was a   
massive construct made up of asteroids. Each asteroid was the size of Texas and   
Alaska. The propulsion for the giant ship was an array of massive gravity   
generators that curved space behind the ship, thus creating forward momentum.  
"The Darkness has modified the weapons. We can only withstand two hits   
before out shields go off-line." Kryton announced.  
"Thanks for tell me that." Darius said.  
Mihoshi pointed a shaky finger at the main display and asked, "How are we   
going to destroy that giant thing?"  
"It may look big and threatening, but we know its weaknesses. Besides,   
Dad when up against this thing alone once." Yuko told her.  
The Tsunami appeared on the main display. The most powerful of all ships,   
surrounded by ten Wings of the Light Hawk, weaved in and out among the hale of   
energy blasts coming from the giant ship. Several times the Tsunami opened up   
with its cannons at the Xevius and disabled one of its large turbo cannons.  
"Tell Sasami to head for the lower most part of the ship near the primary   
cannon. The entrance to the interior is there." Darius said.  
"Roger." Yuko replied.  
Immediately after the Tsunami dove towards the Xevius and skimmed it's   
surface heading towards the primary cannon. At that altitude the turbo cannons   
could not move down far enough to open fire. Seeing this Darius dropped the   
Kryton lower and did the same. The cannon fire around them stopped.  
"That worked." Darius said.  
"Yes it did, Master Darius. However, I am not detecting new signals.   
Darkling fighters are being launched." Kryton told him.  
"Well isn't that special." Darius said in the sarcastic voice of the   
Church Lady.  
  
The tramcar stopped at the end of the track and its passengers walked off   
onto the boarding platform. The cavern was dark except for minimal lighting   
that illuminated a catwalk that ran along the wall. At the end of the catwalk   
was and alcove where the lift that went into the palace could be found. Tenchi   
and company moved quickly to the lift. The controls were simple, and up and   
down button. Tenchi pressed the up button, a wooden grate extended across the   
opening for the lift and then it started up the shaft.  
"Here we go folks. Remember, Darklings can only be killed by beheading   
them." Orrin told them.  
Katsuhito took the Master Key in his hand. Aeka and Ryoko readied   
themselves, and Noboyuki seemed to concentrate within himself for a moment.  
"Kagato will be extremely powerful, me and Tenchi will handle him. Aeka   
and Ryoko can take the Regis, and Katsuhito and Noboyuki, you two guard our   
backs." Orrin added.  
Katsuhito and Noboyuki nodded. "Got it." They said at once.  
The lift stopped and the grate folded away. An outer wall opened up to   
show the interior of the palace. It was strange for Aeka to return home, and   
not feel at ease. She was familiar with this part of the palace, but it was   
alien to her now because of who it was that occupied it.  
Suddenly, Orrin felt something. The hairs on the back of his head went up   
and he knew immediately that it was his sixth sense. "We got company!" he   
shouted. Immediately after he warned them a horde of Darklings appeared out of   
the shadows and attacked. Orrin blasted several before they had a chance to get   
very far, but the rest got past him and attacked Tenchi and the others. Already   
Tenchi and Ryoko had called upon their Light Hawk Wings and were cutting down   
the attackers. Aeka summoned her shield and was striking the monsters with   
blasts of energy. With Washu's device in operation her powers were actually   
having a effect on the monsters. Without a sword weapon she could not behead   
the creatures, but she could use her energy blasts to blow their heads off. It   
was messy doing it that way, but Aeka was so enraged with the creatures she   
barely noticed. Katsuhito summoned the blade of the Master Key. He was running   
and leaping around the Darklings at lightning speed. Many of the monsters lost   
their heads before they know what was happening to them. As for Noboyuki, he   
transformed into his albino Darkling form and was fighting the creatures toe to   
toe. The others finished their fights without much of a problem in time to   
witness Noboyuki's fight. He was up against one large Darkling. On one side   
was a Darkling in all black, and on the other was a Darkling that was an off-  
white color. The two exchanged breath weapons attacks that they were able to   
shield effortlessly. Noboyuki extended a set of glowing claws from the knuckles   
of his twisted hands and struck. The blades dug deep into the other creature,   
and its energy went into Noboyuki. Another wing took the beast's head and its   
energy was absorbed directly into Noboyuki.  
"Wow." Ryoko said.  
"Dad, are you ok?" Tenchi asked.  
Noboyuki transformed back to humanoid form. "Every time I kill one of   
them I seem to get stronger." He said.  
"Of course, albinos can't feed on living things like ordinary Darklings.   
They get their energy from the Ethereal Matrix and from killing Darklings."   
Orrin explained.  
"Enough chit chat. Lets find Kagato and his bitch and get this over   
with." Aeka growled.  
"Now you're talking my language, Princess." Ryoko said, smiling.  
  
"It is not possible! How are they doing this?" the Regis cried.  
She watched the battle and was shocked to see the intruders cut down some   
of her best troops so quickly. She was impressed with how powerful Noboyuki   
turned out to be, but seeing as he was an albino she knew he had to be killed   
quickly.  
"There is no data to extrapolate an accurate conclusion to that question."   
The cerebrate said.  
"I didn't ask you!" she replied.  
"Well, if they came here for a fight we should be polite and oblige them."   
Kagato said.  
Knowing they were much more powerful than ordinary Darklings, the Regis   
agreed and nodded her head. It was rare for her to get into battles. Usually   
no one was able to survive her forces to get this far. When she did fight her   
enemies often times did not live long, or were cut down almost immediately. She   
longed for a real challenge, and now it looked like she was going to get one.  
Tenchi and the gang reached the doors to the throne room. This was where   
it was believed Kagato and the Regis had setup a command center. Before Orrin   
blaster down the door, he pulled out a communicator and handed it to Tenchi.  
"Admiral Shakar, come in. This is Lord Tenchi." Tenchi said into the   
device.  
"Yes, your majesty." The Admiral replied. His voice was a little   
distorted by the transmission.  
"We are inside the palace and have engaged the enemy. Begin your   
assault." Tenchi told him.  
"At once sire." Shakar said.  
Tenchi pocketed the communicator. He looked back at Aeka and Ryoko. The   
two women, is wives, the most important people in his life smiled back at him.   
They would follow him to the eight worst hells if it were necessary. He could   
feel their love for him through the link he shared with them.  
[This is it. We go to face Kagato again.] he told them over the link.  
[For the last time, I hope.] Ryoko replied.  
[Yes, let us make certain he cannot come back this time.] Aeka added.  
[Orrin and I will take Kagato, and you two handle the Regis, ok.] Tenchi   
said.  
[Alright, but if it looks like your having any trouble we'll help out.]   
Ryoko told him.  
[Yes, he can't defeat us if we combine our powers against him.] Aeka said.  
"Here we go, people. Remember your jobs and we can end this mess   
quickly." Orrin said before he summoned a sphere of energy and blasted the   
throne room doors.  
The two massive doors were obliterated by the blast, and in the dust and   
smoke Tenchi and company ran. They stopped when they found themselves standing   
before a great mass of pulsating flesh. It looked as if it were made up of   
hundreds of different creatures that were melded together somehow, and in a   
large clear membrane on top of the mass was a huge brain.  
"They do have a Cerebrate!" Orrin shouted.  
"Impressive isn't it." The Regis said. Everyone turned towards her voice   
and Orrin's eyes went wide.  
"I know you." He said.  
"I'm not surprised you remember me, Orrin. After all you're the one who   
almost killed me back when you and your Alliance raided Primus Imperia." The   
Regis said.  
"Your kind is what perverted the Imperium into what it became. If you had   
left them alone they would not have been the scourge you turned them into."   
Orrin spat.  
"Because of you, the resurrection of our lord did not come to pass." The   
Regis snarled.   
"And let you release an evil of that magnitude upon the universe. I don't   
think so." Orrin replied and he started powering up for an attack.  
"I hate to interrupt this touching reunion, but its time for all of you to   
die now." Kagato said as he stepped out from behind the cerebrate.  
"Kagato." Ryoko hissed.  
"Nice to see you again Ryoko. You haven't changed much, but then again   
one shouldn't expect too much from someone as defective as you." Kagato said.  
"I've changed a lot more than you could even begin to understand, Kagato."   
Ryoko spat back.  
"As a member of the Royal Family of Jurai, I order you to relinquish   
command of this palace immediately!" Aeka shouted.  
The Regis and Kagato both laughed. "Arrogant as ever I see, Princess   
Aeka. You see, I no longer need you or your knowledge of the power of Tsunami.   
I have found a power that is much greater than Tsunami and Ryoko's gems." Kagato   
said.  
"All men of great power have great weaknesses." Katsuhito said.  
"Well, well, well. The former First Crown Prince is here also. Come to   
witness the death of your successor, Yosho?" asked Kagato.  
"You're the one who is going to die today, and I'm going to make sure it's   
for good this time!" Tenchi shouted.  
Kagato launched himself into the air and summoned his green energy sword.   
"Then lets see what you've got boy. I hope you've improved since our first   
encounter." He said.  
Tenchi transformed into the Light Hawk armor and sword, and then launched   
himself at Kagato. The two flew around the cavernous throne room exchanging   
sword blows. Neither side seemed to be giving any ground. "I'm impressed, you   
have improved. But it will not be enough to save you." Kagato said.  
The two combatants flew around at lightning speed now. It was had to keep   
track of the two as they exchanged sword blows and energy blasts. The walls of   
the throne room were quickly starting to look like Swiss cheese.  
"So, I understand the two of you are in love with this Tenchi." The Regis   
said to Aeka and Ryoko. The two women peeled their eyes off the battle overhead   
and turned their attention on the Regis.  
"I won't kill you, immediately. He is kind of cute. Maybe I'll let you   
watch me please myself with him before I drink is essence." She added.  
Aeka and Ryoko both seethed with rage. With a loud battle cry the two   
rushed the Regis, but were surprised to suddenly find she was no longer there.   
They turned just in time to deflect an energy blast directed at them. Ryoko   
teleported behind the Regis and swung with her sword, but an invisible force   
grabbed her and threw her against the wall.  
"Fool, I am thousands of times more powerful than the Darklings you have   
faced thus far." The Regis said.  
Aeka threw a flurry of energy blasts at the Regis but she defected them   
with ease. She then summoned her own energy sword and rushed the princess.   
Aeka ducked under a blow aimed at her head and came up with a Jurai Power   
charged uppercut to the Regis' face. The impact was tremendous, much more   
powerful than the Regis expected, and it sent her flying into the ceiling.  
The Regis pulled herself out of the ceiling and looked down at Aeka.   
"This game is suddenly getting very interesting." She said.  
She did not have time to think of a new attack though. Ryoko took the   
time to fly into the air and swung her sword in an arch that would hit her in   
the midsection. The Regis formed a shield to deflect the blow, but did not   
expect to see what Ryoko did next. The powder blue haired beauty had faked the   
blow and now brought the glowing blade up so that it would hit her shoulder.   
The Regis wasn't fast enough to parry the attack and Ryoko's blade dug deep into   
her flesh.  
"Ahhhhhh!" the Regis cried and dropped to the floor.  
The Regis was surprised at immense pain the wound inflicted, and was   
doubly surprise at the fact that it was not instantly healing. This means only   
one thing. Somehow these beings found a way to prevent her kind from   
suppressing magic. How they did this was not an issue. She had to deal with   
her attackers more aggressively now. To that end she transformed to her   
Darkling form. Her size increased by two times, she sported four tentacles that   
ended with glowing claws. Her head was slug-like with a huge maw of sharp,   
slime-covered teeth.  
"Damn, you are really fuckin ugly." Ryoko commented.  
"I tire of this game, now you die." The Regis said in an inhuman voice.  
Aeka cried out as she forced a shield to black the Regis' claws. The hit   
nearly broke through her shield and sent her fly across the room. Ryoko cried   
out Aeka's name and threw several energy blasts into the monster. The Regis   
took the damage and just laughed it off. She directed her attack at Ryoko, and   
in doing so left herself open. She failed to remember Noboyuki and Katsuhito   
where also in the room.  
"Aaaayyyyeeeee!" Katsuhito cried at he hurdled through the air with the   
Master Key raised above his head. The sword blow struck her head and spit it in   
half. Green energy spewed forth and she covered the wound. Her efforts were in   
vain, and the wound was not immediately healing either.  
"Aeka, Ryoko, finish her!" Katsuhito shouted.  
The two hearing him rushed towards the crippled monster and threw   
everything they had at it. Aeka channeled all the energy she could generate at   
once into a massive blast. The burst struck the Regis on the side and blow a   
massive hold through her body. The creature howled in agony, only to have her   
cries suddenly silence to a sword blow from Ryoko. She dropped down from above   
with her sword and slashed the rest of the Regis' head. The monster stood there   
for several minutes motionless as her head full to the floor. Suddenly, there   
was a blinding blast of green light and a shockwave struck everyone on the   
ground. It knocked them to the floor, and when the fighter climbed back to   
their feet they found only a blackened spot on the floor where the Regis had   
been.  
"Oh, yeah! We came, we saw, we kicked its ass!" Ryoko cried in victory.  
"Tenchi!" Aeka cried. Everyone looked up. In the fight they nearly   
forgot about Tenchi's fight. Orrin had joined the battle with Kagato and it was   
immediately clear that neither of them were fairing well against him. Tenchi   
looked like he was tiring out. He still had the Holy Armor and Light Hawk   
Sword, but it showed in his face. Orrin sent several energy blasts into Kagato,   
but the Regent just deflected them with his sword. He had not even bothered to   
transform into his Darkling form.  
"You may have defeated the Regis, but you will find that I will not be so   
easily destroyed." Kagato snarled.  
"He's grown more powerful than any Regent I've ever faced before." Orrin   
said.  
"We're getting nowhere fast with him. What do we do now?" Tenchi asked   
him.  
"I'll distract him while you try to get a blow to his head." Orrin said   
and he immediate teleported to the other side of the throne room. From there he   
called upon all the power he could muster. Orrin's powers were immense, and   
calling upon all he had was enough to level a large city. Kagato did not expect   
such a powerful blast, he was able to deflect most of it, but the rest struck   
him like a ton of bricks. In the confusion, Tenchi rushed forward and swung his   
sword at Kagato. He hit, but immediately he regretted it. The strike did   
indeed cut through the Regent's neck, but to his surprise it heal instantly.  
"You!" Kagato screamed and he released a blast at Tenchi. It was   
everything he had all at once, and the burst sent Tenchi flying into and through   
the throne room wall.  
"Tenchi!" Aeka and Ryoko both cried. They ran for the exit to look for   
their husband, but Kagato swooped down from above and grabbed Aeka.  
"You may have won this battle, but the war is far from over! And, to   
ensure that you don't try to follow me, I'll take the Princess as a hostage!"   
Kagato shouted at them.  
"Aeka!" Ryoko shouted. She started to fly towards Kagato but she stopped   
when she heard Aeka in her mind.  
[No, I can't feel Tenchi. Ryoko go to him, please.] Aeka said.  
[I can't just let him take you!] Ryoko cried.  
[He won't hurt me as long as you don't attack. Please, do this for Tenchi   
he needs you now.] Aeka pleaded.  
Ryoko closed her eyes and tears began to fall. [Tenchi and I will get you   
away form him, I promise Aeka. You hear me we'll come for you!] Ryoko shouted   
and she changed directions and went to find Tenchi. At that moment Kagato   
summoned a subspace door and flew into it. Noboyuki and Katsuhito tried to   
follow him through the air, but it was too late.  
  
The ground battle outside the royal palace of Jurai was the largest and   
most violent display of military power in Jurai's history. Ten thousand Juraian   
troops marched into the capital city and were met by the Darklings. As the two   
forces came together the killing started. Hundreds on each side died. In some   
places the number of Juraian bodies were enough to cover the ground like a   
carpet, and in others the number of burn marks from the death of Darklings were   
so numerous you could not pinpoint individual spots. The fight inside the   
palace was long over, and the battle outside had just begun. The Darkness   
brought in the same crab-like war machines to engage the enemy, but they had to   
deal with air attacks from Juraian battleships that arrived from the edge of the   
solar system. The grand battle took nearly ten hours and the cost was very   
high, but as the sun began to set upon the Royal Palace the Juraians were   
beginning to celebrate their victory. In the aftermath of the battle it would   
be found that six thousand men lost their lives. Six thousand gave their lives   
so that billions could live and have freedom. Those six thousand would forever   
be remembered in history and in monuments erected in their honor all over the   
planet in the years to come. The battle in space was an equally grand one. The   
firefight between the Juraian star fleet and the Darklings raged on longer than   
the battle on the ground. It took several days, and many of the Darkling ships   
escaped from the solar system.  
While all of this went on the Kryton and Tsunami waged a small war of   
their own. They reached the base of the primary cannon of the Xevius where they   
could get into the interior of the giant battle station. The outer surface of   
the ship was covered in super-dense armor, but the interior was specious.   
Darkling fighters that looked like nightmarish squid swarmed around the two   
attacking ships. Their energy weapons had no effect on the Tsunami with its   
protective barrier of ten Light Hawk Wings. Kryton launched dozens of drone   
fighters from external ports. These small interceptors honed in on their own   
targets and demonstrated immense firepower. Eventually the two ships reached   
the deep interior of the massive battle station and it's quantum singularity   
core.  
"Ok, this is it. Sasami can you hear me?" Darius asked over the   
communication channel with the Tsunami.  
"I'm here." Said Sasami. She was standing at the control podium of the   
Tsunami.  
"Alright. See the two power regulators, they are the two large towers   
standing on either side the singularity. I'll take out one, and you get the   
other." Darius told her.  
"Understood." Sasami replied.  
The quantum singularity core was massive. Two huge towers hung down and   
created a magnetic field that held the singularity in place. The singularity   
itself was a swirling maw of blackness surrounded by a super heated excretion   
disk.  
The two ships flew in and started pummeling the towers with everything   
they had. Sasami called upon all of her power she inherited form Tsunami and   
channeled it through the ship. Her energy beams blasted massive holes into her   
tower. Kryton launched every piece of ordinance he was carrying. Thousands of   
ethereal torpedoes flew into his tower. Before long, both towers exploded with   
two tremendous blasts. The magnetic field that held the singularity began to   
unravel. With it gone, the gravitational and quantum forces of the singularity   
started to tear the rest of battle station apart all around them.  
"Lets get the hell out of here!" Darius shouted. He slammed the throttle   
to full and turned into a reverse course out of the Xevius. Sasami found to her   
horror that the Tsunami was falling into the singularity, but she calmed down   
and teleported the ship out of danger. She met Darius outside the massive ship.  
"We need to get clear, this thing is going to go up like a super nova."   
Darius warned her.  
By this time the Xevius had drifted well clear of planet Jurai. The   
Kryton and the Tsunami raced back to the planet at full speed. Behind them the   
Xevius seemed to implode, and literally folded in upon itself. Suddenly, all at   
once the great ship exploded with a titanic blast. The shockwave overtook the   
two escaping ships and was strong enough to have been felt on Jurai. The Kryton   
and the Tsunami survived the shockwave, but not without taking some damage.   
They then joined in the fighting between the Juraian fleet and the Darklings.  
  
Everyone else reached the palace soon after the fighting was finally over   
in the city. The Emperor of Jurai and his two wives entered the ruins of the   
throne room and looked upon a scene that chilled them to the bone. Ryoko was   
kneeling on the floor and cradled Tenchi's lifeless form in her arms. She was   
sobbing inconsolably as Washu ran some kind of device over Tenchi's body.  
"Oh, no, what happened?" Fonaho asked.  
"Tenchi's hurt pretty bad, and worse of all he's in some kind of coma."   
Washu told her.  
"Tenchi, Tenchi, I can't feel you anymore, Tenchi!" Ryoko cried, her tears   
were falling and splatter over Tenchi's face.  
"Is there anything you can do for him?" Azusa asked.  
The genius stood up and shook her head. "I can heal his wounds, but this   
coma is something different. Its almost unnatural." She said.  
"I tried to get through to him, but even I can't penetrate the fog   
surrounding his subconscious." Orrin explained.  
"Kagato did this to him!" Ryoko cried in rage.  
"Where is little Aeka?" Misaki asked.  
Orrin looked down, as did Washu, and then Orrin said, "After he blasted   
Tenchi he grabbed Aeka and escape with her as his hostage."  
Misaki's eyes seemed to glaze over and she fainted where she stood.   
Luckily Fonaho grabbed her from behind before she hit the floor. "Oh, oh no, my   
dearly Aeka." Fonaho said on her verge of tears.  
"We are going to plan out a way to get her back. I tried everything I   
know to bring Tenchi out of this coma. I believe if Aeka and Ryoko combine the   
power of their thoughts together they might be able to break through and bring   
him out of this. Their link with him gives them an added advantage over Orrin's   
psychic powers." Said Washu. Azusa nodded and looked around at the ruined   
throne room.  
"Must have been one hell of a fight." He said.  
"We killed the Regis." Katsuhito told him.  
"We lost a lot of good people today. Yet now it doesn't feel like a   
victory." Azusa replied.  
"We should start working on a way to get Aeka away from Kagato." Ryoko   
said as she whipped the tears from her eyes. She kissed Tenchi's forehead and   
laid him down slowly to the floor.  
Orrin turned to her. "If we can find out where he went with her." He   
said. "Leave that up to me, the most brilliant genius in the universe." Washu   
said. She summoned her holographic laptop and started typing away like mad.  
"All we need to do is scan for her specific Jurai power signature. She   
isn't wearing an energy signature cloaking device like Ryoko and Tenchi are, so   
we should be able to find her quickly." Washu said.  
"Please hurry, Miss Washu." Pleaded Fonaho.  
Azusa floated his hover chair over to Tenchi and he looked down at his   
battered face. "Please, get well soon great grandson, please." A single tear   
fell down the man's face. He turned away, unable to look upon the face of the   
young man he once hated, and now loved like a son.  
  
=============================  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
NEXT TIME...  
CAHPTER TWO: THE SLEEPER AWAKENS  
  
The Regis is dead and Kagato has made a run for it with Aeka as his hostage.   
Tenchi is in a coma, and only Ryoko and Aeka together can bring him out of it,   
but Aeka is Kagato's captive. What will happen now? 


	3. The Dark Lord of Jurai - Episode 3: Chap...

LEGAL DISCLIMER: Tenchi Muyo is the register copyright and trademark of AIC and   
Pioneer. All Rights Reserved. This work of fiction is written for   
entertainment purposes only and not for profit.  
=============================  
NOTES: The Dune series of novels were very well written. The movie by Dino De   
Larentis didn't go the novels much justice. You know the one that had Sting in   
it. Well, the Sci-Fi Channel version was more true to the actual novel. What   
really fascinated me was the hidden power aspect. Paul had a hidden power that   
was awesome, but it had to be awakened. Tenchi in a way was the same way.   
Consider this chapter my tribute to the late Frank Herbert.  
=============================  
THE DARK LORD OF JURAI  
EPISODE THREE - NO NEED FOR AN APPOCALYPSE  
By Michael "The-Zorch" Haney  
  
CHAPTER TWO: THE SLEEPER AWAKENS   
=============================  
  
Tenchi watched in horror as his lethal blow failed to kill the Regent.   
Kagato whirled around to face him and gathered an immense energy blasts towards   
him. "You!" he snarled. The blast struck him in the chest and the pain was   
immense. Tenchi felt darkness close in around him, and was unconscious before   
he hit the wall and landed outside the throne room. He did not remember Ryoko   
lying across his battered body wracked with sobs, nor his transport to Washu's   
lab where he was hocked up to various medical monitors.  
Darkness surrounded him now. He could not see anything in the blackness.   
The darkness was so complete, so thorough. He could not even see himself for   
murkiness of it all.  
"Where am I?" he asked nobody in particular. His voice echoed in the   
darkness.  
"Ryoko, Aeka, anybody!" he shouted.  
It was at that moment that Tenchi realized that he could not feel Aeka and   
Ryoko anymore. It was an uneasy feeling, a queasy feeling, and he did not like   
it. It was as if he were naked. He grew accustomed to not being alone in own   
mind for so long, a few months at least.  
"What is this place?" Tenchi shouted into the darkness.  
  
Ryoko sat next to Tenchi's hospital bed since he was brought to the lab.   
Washu looked in the room and could only feel sorrow for the look on her face.   
Ryoko's greatest dreaming of finally having Tenchi's love had come true, she had   
him for a few months, but not all of that was taken away. He was alive, but in   
a coma. There was no telling for how long, but Washu proposed a tricky   
solution. Since Ryoko and Aeka have a spiritual and telepathic link with   
Tenchi, then the two of them together might be able to combine their minds   
together to awaken him. There was one problem with that solution. Soon after   
Kagato struck Tenchi down he grabbed Aeka and ran off with her as his hostage.  
"Hey." Washu said softly.  
"Hi mom." Ryoko replied tiredly.  
"You haven't slept since we brought him in. Go lay down for a while.   
I'll keep and eye on things here." Washu told her.  
"Any luck picking up Kagato's trail yet?" Ryoko asked.  
"I have a possible trace, but it's very far away. I have my instruments   
doing a detailed scan and should have an answer in a few hours." Washu replied.  
Ryoko stood up and did something she very rarely ever did. She walked up   
and hugged her mother. Utterly surprised, Washu did not return the hug   
immediately, but soon after the shock wore off she returned her daughter's   
embrace.  
"Thanks mom." Ryoko told her.  
"Go lay down before you fall down." Washu said with a crooked smile.  
Ryoko smiled back and teleported away. Washu walked up to Tenchi's   
bedside and looked at the monitors. He was laying her for two days so far and   
there was no change. It has been known for coma patients to sleep for years,   
even decades, but she hoped it would not be that long before he came out of it.   
She could not help but feel that there was something more to this coma than   
meets the eye also. It was as if she felt something, a feeling, or a presence   
she had not felt in a long time. She shook it off quickly as nerves, printed   
out the latest medical data onto a strip, and headed for the main part of the   
lab to see how the search for Aeka was going.  
  
The people of Jurai started picking up the pieces of the short conflict on   
their planet immediately after the battle was over. Small groups of Darkling   
survivors were found in different places in the city. Most of the parts of the   
capital not leveled by Kagato's nuclear bomb were severely damaged during the   
battle to retake the city. Damage was estimated in the hundreds of millions,   
but there was more than enough in the treasury to pay for the expense of   
restoring the capital to its former glory. What could not be so easily restored   
were the lives of those who the Darklings victimized. Psychological wounds were   
left behind on men, women and children alike from the occupation. Not only the   
psychological effects of being feed upon by Darklings, but the physical and   
sexual abuse. A majority of the sexual abuse reports came from children. It   
was an alarming number, and it had the social workers scrambling like mad. It   
would not be the physical destruction the Darklings caused that would be   
remembered throughout history on Jurai, but the psychological damage they   
inflicted upon the people, and especially the children of Jurai.  
Repairing the damage to the palace was placed on the back burner for a   
while. Azusa concentrated on the reconstruction of the capital and the   
rebuilding of those ships lost during the battle in space. Those who gave and   
risked their lives in the fighting were honored in a formal ceremony. Darius   
and Sasami received the Jurai Star medal for their courage in destroying the   
Xevius. Ryoko, Orrin, Katsuhito, Noboyuki, and Tenchi received the highest   
honor possible. That was the Medal of Glory. It was made to resemble the Tree   
of Light. Ryoko was asked to be in charge of the medal intended for Aeka and   
Tenchi. She unquestioningly accepted the duty. The ceremony was more to boost   
the moral of the Juraian people than to search the purpose of honoring those who   
fought to free the planet. Ryoko understood this very well.  
The throne room was a real mess, and the servants cleaned up what they   
could. The trees that made up the palace did much of the rest, but it would   
take major construction work to repair the holes in the walls. The throne   
itself was intact. Azusa used his upper arm strength to move himself from the   
hover chair to the throne. This also was to boost moral. If they saw the   
Emperor on the throne again it would let the people know the royal family had   
everything under control again.  
"The Royal Guard has discovered several dozen booby traps left by the   
Darklings throughout the palace, sire." Duncan Kirasawa reported. The new   
chairman of the Secret Police was now finally able to get to his regular job   
instead of fighting a war. Zarlova, the former chairman who stepped down of his   
own choice, had not been heard from since the fighting started.  
"Thank you. How are things going for you in your new position?" Azusa   
asked him.  
"Slow as can be expected. The government buildings for the Secret Police   
are partially intact, so that is making our work a little difficult." Duncan   
told him.  
"Sasami tells me the two of you are considering marriage." The Emperor   
said.  
Duncan blushed a little. They had talked a little about it and he didn't   
expect her to say anything to her father about just yet. "Well, sire, I do love   
her very much." He said.  
"I couldn't think of anyone better for her. Have you set a date yet?"   
Azusa asked.  
Duncan was surprised. He half expected Azusa to say something like Sasami   
should marry nobility or something, but he was accepting the situation without a   
hassle. "Not yet, actually we just talked briefly about it. We haven't had a   
chance to really make a formal decision on it yet." Duncan replied.  
"Well, when you do let me know and I'll have all the formal arrangement   
made." The Emperor said. Duncan looked totally surprised, and it showed so much   
that Azusa picked up on it. "Surprised that I accept it so easily. You're a   
good man Duncan, and I would be proud to have someone like you in my family."   
Azusa told him.  
Duncan blushed and then bowed low. "Thank you, sire." He said.  
  
Misaki sat in the middle of the room that seven hundred years ago had been   
Aeka's. It still looked the same way it had the day she and Sasami ran away to   
search for Yosho. The servants kept up the room, making sure it was dusted and   
ready for her the moment she returned. Katsuhito, noticing the door to the room   
was open, looked inside and sighed at the sight of Misaki sitting on the bed   
sobbing.  
"Misaki." He said softly.  
Misaki turned around, eyes filled with tears, and smiled weakly at him.   
Katsuhito walked in and sat down next to her. "Aeka would not want you to be   
like this." He said.  
"I know, but I can't help it. I miss my little Aeka." She sobbed.  
"Washu says she is closing to finding her, and when she does Orrin said he   
would take us out to bring her home." Katsuhito told her.  
"Oh, Yosho, what if that monster does something horrible to her?" Misaki   
asked.  
"He will be made to pay for what he has done." Katsuhito said calmly   
without showing any emotion.  
"How is Tenchi?" Misaki asked as she whipped the tears from her eyes.  
"He is the same. Washu says he has a chance, but it involves Aeka's help,   
so we much rescue her first." Katsuhito replied.  
Misaki picked up a holographic projector off the nightstand next to the   
bed. It was small, the size of a compact. She depressed the activator and the   
recording in it started playing. A younger looking Aeka appeared in the air   
above the device.  
  
"Dearest mother and father. Sasami and I have left planet Jurai to search   
for our brother Yosho. He has been gone for so long, and I fear what that   
monster woman may have done with him. We will all return to planet Jurai once   
we have found him. Please do not send search parties for us. We will be safe.   
We love you very much. Farewell for now."  
  
The projector beeped and the image vanished.  
"She recorded this a month after you disappeared." Misaki said.  
"I had no idea that her heart was set on me until she arrived on Earth."   
Katsuhito said.  
"She adored you Yosho. She loved you so much. You were brother and   
sister, but she wanted so much to marry you and rule Jurai together." Misaki   
told him.  
"It would not have worked out as well as she wanted. The prejudice in   
those times was great, and it would have torn our empire apart." Katsuhito   
replied.  
Misaki put the projector down and turned to her half-son. "Tell me about   
Tenchi's mother." She said.  
Katsuhito took on a look as if he were looking far away. "Achika was full   
of life. She loved to live, and took pleasure in the beautiful things around   
us. Sometimes she was little serious, but she was sweet and caring. She was a   
good mother to Tenchi, and wonderful daughter." He said.  
"I wish I could have met her." Misaki said.  
There was sound at the door and the two looked that way. Fonaho was in   
the doorway. "So this is where you two are hiding out." She said.  
"Mother." Katsuhito said with a nod.  
"The day after I was sitting in this room also." Fonaho said.  
"We will bring her back." Katsuhito said.  
Fonaho sat down next to her son and said, "That I do not doubt. Ryoko is   
determined to leave now to find her. On one side she wants to save Aeka, and on   
the other she wants to avenge Tenchi."  
"How is husband handling this?" Misaki asked. Ever since all this   
happened the Emperor kept his inner thoughts a secret, and blocked the two of   
them out.  
"Hard to say since he is blocking us out most of the time. But, I think   
he is taking it as well as can be expected. He's trying to show strength to   
keep our moral up." Fonaho told her.  
Katsuhito stood up and bowed to his mother and stepmother. "I am going to   
Washu's lab now. I want to see if she has made any progress in searching for   
Aeka." He told them.  
"Good luck, Yosho." Fonaho said as he left the room.  
"I hope she has, I fear so much for my little Aeka." Misaki said.  
  
Once regular communication traffic began to come from Jurai space, the   
Galaxy Police decided to investigate as to what had happened. A large fleet of   
GP battleships arrived in Jurai orbit a few days after the battle ended. They   
arrived to find the debris of hundreds of ships, both unknown and Juraian in   
nature. The Marshal went down to Jurai to speak directly with the Emperor about   
the incident. He was lead to the throne room and marveled at the damage around   
him. As his shuttle headed towards the capital city his face was glued to the   
view port. He had never seen such destruction before. Whatever went down on   
Jurai it was indeed very serious.  
The Marshal was expecting it to be nothing more than an attempted coup of   
the government, but to his surprise it was something else entirely. The Emperor   
detailed the invasion of Jurai by the monsters in Mihoshi's report. The fact   
that these monsters could destroy Juraian battleships was enough to let the   
Marshal know they were a major threat. He was also shocked to learn that some   
of the monsters escaped into space. That meant he would have to put the entire   
GP on red alert for the time being. Hostile monsters of that destructive   
potential were nothing to take lightly.  
Soon after his meeting the Marshal's escort lead him into the heart of the   
palace. In a courtyard he found someone he was hoping to see. Mihoshi sat on a   
bench looking at the beautiful gardens outside the palace. During all the   
fighting they had miraculous survived without a scratch.  
"Mihoshi." He said.  
The blonde detective whirled around at her name and the voice of her   
grandfather. She ran to him and flung her arms around his neck. "Grandfather!"   
she cried.  
"Oh, Mihoshi, its been so long since I've seen you." The Marshal said.  
"When did you get here?" Mihoshi asked.  
"I've been here for a while speaking to the Emperor. I understand you   
helped out quite a bit during this war." The Marshal replied.  
"Well, just a little really. Tenchi and the others did most of the really   
dangerous work." She told him.  
"Yes, Tenchi. He was in your first report after the Kagato Incident." The   
Marshal said.  
"Now, he's in a coma. Kagato really hit him hard, and he's kidnapped Aeka   
too." Mihoshi said and was about to break out into tears.  
The Marshal caught movement in his peripheral vision and turned to see a   
woman walking out into the courtyard. He recognized her immediately. She had   
at one time been the most wanted criminal in the entire galaxy second only to   
Kagato himself. Ryoko saw Mihoshi talking to and older man in a GP dress   
uniform. Curious she walked up to introduce herself. She was not afraid around   
GP officers anymore, not that she was afraid of them, but that she was no longer   
on the most wanted list. Her file had long ago been destroyed by order of the   
Holy Council of Jurai.  
"Hey, Mihoshi, who is this?" she asked.  
"Oh, Ryoko, this is my grandfather. The Marshal of the Galaxy Police."   
Mihoshi said with a beaming smile.  
"Ryoko, case number 2719. Now its Princess Ryoko if I'm not mistaken."   
The Marshal said.  
"Ironic I become a member of the same royal family I attacked seven   
hundred years ago, isn't it." Ryoko laughed.  
"I hear Kagato kidnapped Princess Aeka. What leads do you have so far?"   
the Marshal asked.  
Ryoko put up her hands and looked at him sternly. "This guy is way out   
the GP's league. He could destroy half your entire fleet by himself without   
trying." She told him.  
"So as I am to understand. The Emperor pretty much warned me of the same   
thing." The Marshal said.  
"Your would be wise to accept what we say. Kagato is a lot more dangerous   
now than he has ever been." Ryoko said.  
"But truly, how close are you to finding her?" asked the Marshal.  
"Mom, I mean Washu, says she might have something for us soon." Ryoko told   
him.  
"I wish you luck, but if you do need some assistance I want you to know   
the GP will be ready and able to assist." The Marshal said.  
"Thanks, but your forces would just be an all you can eat buffet for the   
Darklings." Ryoko told him with a smirk. The Marshal returned it with a crooked   
smile of his own. He liked Ryoko. She had a certain quality about her.  
He turned back to Mihoshi and said, "Well, sweetie, I'm giving you a   
couple months time off. You deserve it after all you've been through. And, as   
for me, I have to get back to headquarters."  
Mihoshi hugged her grandfather goodbye and they parted. "Good luck on   
finding the Princess." He said as he left the courtyard.  
"He's nice. Not quite what I expected." Said Ryoko.  
  
Total, absolute, complete darkness; there was a story in a western   
religious text that spoke of such a void. For a moment Tenchi felt like saying,   
"Let there be light", but he knew nothing would happen. There was nothing here   
to show the passage of time, but he guessed it was probably several days. The   
infinite blackness and quiet of this place was getting to him. He tried many of   
the relaxation techniques his grandfather taught him to try and keep his sanity,   
but he could feel his mind trying to slip into the early stages of dementia.  
"Huh, now I'm starting to hallucinate." He said.  
It almost looked like a small spot of light was starting to form out in   
the dark void. He ignored it for a long time, but when it started to grow   
brighter and brighter he decided to investigate. He went closer and closer to   
the light. It was the first time he moved around in this dark void, and to his   
surprise he realized that was nothing here. There was no floor, no ceiling, no   
walls, no nothing. He could see his body and his arms as he neared the light.   
It was the only thing he was able to see in days. Just the sight of his own   
hands was enough to bring him to tears.  
"Aeka, Ryoko, is that you?" he asked, speaking towards the bright light.  
"Tenchi." Came a voice from the light. He did not recognize it. It was   
the voice of a man.  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
"Come into the light Tenchi." The voice said.   
Suddenly a memory of an old horror movie from Steven Spielberg came to   
mind. Tenchi started to back away from the light. No way, I can't be dead, he   
though to himself.  
"No you are not dead, come into the light Tenchi." Said the voice.  
"I will if you tell me who you are?" he asked.  
"A friend." Said the voice.  
Reluctantly Tenchi went towards the light. It was warm, the closer he got   
to the light, the warmer it felt. Soon, he was traveling down a tunnel of   
bright light. He remembered hearing stories of near death experiences, and   
maybe he was having one. Maybe he will wake up with his family around him, and   
this would all be a bad dream. The tunnel of light ended and Tenchi found   
himself in new surroundings. He was in a huge room that looked like some kind   
of temple or chapel. He was standing on a platform raised far above the ground.  
A massive translucent face of an old man with gray hair appeared in front   
of him. The man had a red crystal in his forehead.  
"A-a-a-are you God?" Tenchi asked him.  
"I am D3." The entity said with the same voice Tenchi heard from the light   
in the dark void.  
"D3? I've never heard of you before." Tenchi said.  
"I am not surprised." The entity said.  
"Why did you bring me here, what is this place?" Tenchi asked.  
"There is someone who wishes to speak with you Tenchi Masaki." D3 told   
him. The entity vanished leaving only his red crystal. Suddenly, the   
surrounding area began to grow dark again. Black forms appeared in the air, and   
in the midst of all this the figure of a woman appeared. She descended from the   
depths of this darkness and touched down with delicate lightness onto the   
platform. She had inhuman eyes the color of blue with no pupils; on her face   
was some sort of face paint, and her dress as extravagant and grand at the same   
time. She was both beautiful and imposing all at once.  
"I have wanted to meet you for some time, Tenchi Masaki." She said. Her   
voice was melodious and soft. It was similar to Aeka's voice, but smoother and   
higher in pitch. He realized that Tsunami's voice has a similar quality.  
"Who are you?" he asked her.  
"You may have heard of me, Tenchi. I am Lady Tokimi." She said.  
Tenchi almost jumped out his skin. He remembered what Washu had told him   
about her sister, and he also remembered the monster she created back on that   
planet in the Dead Zone. What have you gotten into this time, Tenchi, he said   
to himself.  
"Tenchi, I am not sure what my sisters may have told you about me, but I   
am not your enemy." Tokimi said.  
"Well, that's not how they see it." Tenchi told her.  
"We may not always see eye to eye, but I am not as evil as they let on."   
Tokimi said with a smile.  
"What do you want with me?" Tenchi asked.  
"I want to help you. Tenchi, there is a great evil coming, and you must   
be ready to face it." Tokimi told him.  
Tenchi was surprised. Everything Washu had said about her had said to   
avoid her at all costs. Now she wanted to help him.  
"An evil. What kind of great evil?" he asked her, still suspicious.  
"An evil beyond your worst nightmares. An evil greater than Kagato,   
greater than anything you have ever faced before." Tokimi told him.  
"What can I do?" he asked.  
Tokimi walked up to him and looked into his eyes. Those eyes were   
unnatural and beautiful at the same time. "The sleeper must awaken." She said.   
Suddenly, a bright light shown from her eyes and Tenchi felt himself traveling   
at incredible speed.  
  
Ryoko, Katsuhito, Orrin, Darius, and Yuko were gathered in the lab where   
Washu was reading sensor data. She looked at the complex readouts, and even   
Orrin found himself having trouble keeping up with the rapid stream of data.   
She turned around and did a victory "V" sign with her hand.  
"I found her. She's in the Sol System." She said.  
"Sol System, that's Earth!" Ryoko shouted.  
"Yup, she's there alright. No doubt about it." Washu told them.  
"How the hell did they get that far? It took us weeks to get to Jurai   
from Earth." Ryoko asked.  
"Well, remember we took the long way around through the Dead Zone.   
Besides, the Darklings may have outfitted their ships with some special   
technology for faster space travel." Washu told her.  
"Kryton can reach the Sol System from here in two hours. And that is at   
half throttle." Orrin said.  
"The question is, why did he take her to Earth?" Katsuhito asked.  
"I have no clue other than the fact that it was there that Tenchi last   
defeated him, and he may be expecting Tenchi to come there to rescue Aeka." Said   
Washu.  
"So, he returned to Earth for a rematch with Tenchi, then." Ryoko said.  
"Sounds reasonable." Darius commented.  
"That is assuming Kagato doesn't know Tenchi is in a coma. Which means he   
didn't intend for that to happen to him at all." Yuko added.  
Katsuhito thought for a moment and Ryoko looked down at the floor. She   
had thought Tenchi's condition had been caused by Kagato's powers somehow, but   
in light of this it looked like it was all an accident. "Then we have a sliver   
of a hope that we can save Tenchi if we can rescue Aeka." She said.  
"More than a sliver. Your combined link with his mind will give you a   
massive psionic boost." Washu told her.  
"That would also mean that Kagato will be expecting company soon. So I   
guess surprising him will be out of the question." Darius said.  
"Kagato is a skilled tactician." Katsuhito told them.  
"Kryton can go in cloaked. That is our only small advantage. Also,   
Kagato is the only one in charge of the Darklings now, and he is likely still   
unskilled at such a task. With the Regis dead the burden on his mind will be   
great until he gets used to the immense psychic load." Orrin explained.  
"Dad, I just got a very disturbing thought just now. Remember the Regis   
was grooming Emperor Valdamir as the next host for her master." Darius told his   
father.  
Orrin's eyes went wide. He had forgotten about that. The Regis here had   
been the same one he faced on Primus Imperia, the former seat of power for the   
entire Imperium. Emperor Valdamir had been a Darkling Regent. He was using   
his ethereal powers to control his forces and increase their physical dexterity   
and reflexes in battle. He had also placed a mind leech on General Redbon, his   
first lieutenant, and for years forced him to commit horrible acts in the name   
of the Imperium. Redbon still carried the emotional scares from that even   
today, hundreds of years after the falls of the Imperium. The Regis had   
appeared as a young girl. She wore a white dress and walked around barefoot   
most of the time. She acted very mature for her physical age, and had an   
intense sexual appetite. There were those who told him that she often took   
members of the imperial court into a private room in the palace on Primus   
Imperia. Orrin did not discount those accounts after seeing her in person.  
"Kagato." Orrin said.  
"What do you mean, Darius?" Katsuhito asked.  
"The Elo'Quin killed the Darkling's lord and master. They call him the   
Dark One. The Regis was grooming the Emperor of the Imperium as his next host   
body." Orrin explained.  
"The Dark One is capable of generating a great deal of power, and he needs   
a host capable of withstanding that energy. If the host can't physically handle   
the metabolic strain on his or her system the body will die quickly. He needs a   
robust body that can withstand the stresses he will put it through." Darius   
added.  
"Kagato would fit that bill quite nicely." Washu said.  
"If he is resurrected it would be very bad." Yuko said.  
"Yeah, like extremely bad." Said Darius.  
"When they defeated him, it took ten thousand Elo'Quin combining their   
powers together to destroy him. Expending that much energy was lethal for them,   
and they all died. We have nobody in this universe capable of generating that   
much energy. Not even Tenchi." Orrin told them.  
"What do they have to do to resurrect the Dark One?" Katsuhito asked.  
"Well, they need a massive amount of spiritual energy. A powerful holy   
place would be enough to allow him to travel to this dimension." Orrin said.   
"But he is trapped in the spirit plain and is unable to effect the physical   
plain until he entered his intended host." Yuko added.  
"There is only one place with that much power on Earth." Katsuhito said.  
"The shrine?" Orrin asked.  
"No, the five color Fudo temples surrounding Tokyo." Katsuhito told him.  
"Ah! The five temples of Fudo Meyuoh erected to protect the Edo castle   
from supernatural enemies back in Japan's feudal past." Shouted Washu.  
"Exactly." Katsuhito said.  
"Kagato isn't likely going to volunteer to become a host for this Dark   
One." Ryoko said. The others looked at her. She had been silent through most   
of the conversation.  
"No matter how strong a Darkling is, the Dark One can implant suggestions   
into their minds to make them to do he will. He may be doing that to Kagato   
now." Orrin explained.  
"But, what does he need Aeka for other than to draw Tenchi to him?" Ryoko   
asked.  
"Energy. When the Dark One takes control he will need a great deal of   
energy, and Tenchi has a lot of it." Orrin said.  
Ryoko teleported over to Orrin and grabbed him by his shirtfront. "So   
your saying he's planning on luring Tenchi to him so he can have him for   
breakfast!" she shouted into his face.  
"Ryoko, calm down. He isn't the one you should be pissed at." Washu   
scolded her.  
Ryoko released Orrin and said, "I'm sorry."  
"Its ok." Orrin replied.  
"So, we're going back to Earth. If we're to face Kagato there we will   
have to do what we did here to keep him from suppressing your powers." Washu   
said.  
"We don't have that kind of time." Orrin told her.  
"Ok, then I'll make smaller counter wave emitters for you to wear." She   
said.  
"We still have a problem. Tenchi and I both took him on and he still   
overpowered us." Orrin said.  
"Maybe me, Aeka, Katsuhito, and you can combine our powers to defeat him."   
Ryoko suggested.  
"Tenchi is stronger than all of us combined, Ryoko." Katsuhito told her.  
"Yes, you may be able to generate six Light Hawk Wings, but despite him   
only being able to generate three he can still do matter-energy conversion.   
That is normally only possible with six or more Light Hawk Wings." Washu   
explained.  
Ryoko scratched the back of her head Tenchi style. "I never thought of it   
that way." She said.  
"Its risky, but I may have something that might take Kagato out." Washu   
said.  
"What is it?" Orrin asked.  
"I never tested it. I built it a long time ago and filed it away in my   
lab so long ago I forgot about it. It's called the Trans-dimensional Temporal   
Inversion Cannon." She said.  
"What the hell does that do?" Ryoko asked.  
"Basically this. The weapon destabilizes the quantum and temporal matrix   
of the intended target causing temporal inversion and counter extinction of the   
quantum energy particles." Washu said with a smile.  
Everyone looked at her with a dumbfounded expression. Even Orrin had a   
hard time trying to understand what she just said. "What the hell does that   
mean?" Ryoko asked.  
Washu groaned inwardly and shouted, "It completely and utterly erases your   
target from the fabric of space and time! In other words he simply ceases to   
exist without a trace, molecular or otherwise!"  
"Son of a bitch." Darius gasped.  
Orrin looked at Washu in disbelief. "A weapon of that much destructive   
potential could theoretically destroy an entire universe." He said.  
"Why do you think I hid it deep inside my lab for?" she asked him.  
"Why the hell did you build it in the first place?" Orrin asked in an   
exasperated tone.  
Washu shrugged. "I was bored." She said.  
Everyone groaned and face faltered at once.  
  
The feeling of acceleration ceased as quickly as it started and Tenchi   
found himself in new surroundings. He was in the midst of a vast alien city of   
unbelievable majesty. The gleaming towers and sparking buildings were more   
beautiful than his wildest imagination.  
"What is this place?" he asked.  
"Eli Prime. The homeworld of the Elo'Quin in a universe far from your   
own." Tokimi said. Her voice came from behind.  
Tenchi turned around and saw her standing not far from him. She looked   
around and he started to do the same. It was at that moment that he noticed   
that they were not alone. There were people walking around. They looked human   
accept for the slight blue tint to their skin and their unusual hair colors.  
"Ah, hello. Can you tell where I am?" he asked one of the people. They   
did not seem to notice him and walked right by.  
"They can't hear you. In fact they can't even see you." Tokimi said. As   
she said that an Elo'Quin walking down the street passed right through her body   
without noticing at all.  
"Wait a minute, I thought the Elo'Quin were all destroyed." Tenchi said.  
"Look in there, Tenchi." Tokimi told him and pointed to one of the   
buildings. Tenchi turned to where she was pointing and saw a low building   
shaped like a dome. He hesitantly walked towards the building, but after a   
moment he started running as fast as he could. To his surprise he found that he   
could pass through the walls of the structure and soon found himself in the   
midst of a vast laboratory that would have made even Washu envious.  
"Implant subject one appears to be stable and doing well, doctor." A   
female Elo'Quin said to an older male who was wearing a white set of robes.  
"Yes, the living ethereal implants are operating per exact specifications.   
Very good work, everyone." The doctor said. There was applause from all over   
the room.  
"I still have some reservations about this, Doctor. We never did fully   
study the natural behavior of this species before we modified its genetic   
matrix." Another Elo'Quin chimed in.  
"Nonsense, the living implants pose no danger what so ever. You worry too   
much Lidos." The doctor said.  
Tenchi looked where everyone's attention was placed. A man lay inside of   
a transparent tube in the middle of the room. He was wearing only a white   
blanket over his midsection. Apparently he was unconscious, because his eyes   
were closed.  
"I think its time for us to awaken our patient and being a new chapter in   
ethereal science." The doctor said. He walked over the transparent tube and   
touched a button on a side panel.  
"All seems normal." The woman said.  
"He should start to awaken in a few minutes." The doctor said.  
"Doctor, I'm detecting an unusual reaction inside the implant." Lidos   
said.  
"Only a minor energy flux. It's to be expected after first activation.   
It happened during the simulation tests." The doctor told him.  
"No, this is different. Come look at this." Lidos said. The doctor   
walked around to the console Lidos was looking at and read the data on the   
screen. Tenchi moved around to see also, and found the text was completely   
foreign to him.  
"This can't be right. This energy pattern never appeared during the   
testing phases." The doctor said.  
"Maybe we should abort his awakening." Lidos suggested.  
"No. This may be an unexpected anomaly. Nothing more. The ethereal   
energy battery implant is a major project that has cost us billions to research.   
If we cut it off now the council could cancel our funding. We're five years   
behind schedule as it is." The doctor said.  
Suddenly the man in the transparent tube opened his eyes and looked   
around. Everyone applauded and the doctor ran to the tube and opened it. The   
man sat up and started to climb to his feet. Tenchi suddenly felt a chill go   
down his back. There was a look to the man's eyes he had seen before. It   
suddenly struck him that he had seen it in the eyes of Kagato and the Regis.  
"How are you feeling, Mr. Gitalo?" the doctor asked.  
The man turned to him and simply said, "Hungry."  
Everyone in the lab screamed in horror as a translucent tentacle shot out   
from the man's hand and partway phased into the doctor's body. The doctor   
convulsed for a few seconds as blue energy pulsed down the tentacle. In seconds   
the doctor fell to the floor. His body was brown and withered. The man leaped   
into the air and transformed into a massive, hideous entity. It was so large   
that its body broke the roof of the building. Thousands of translucent   
tentacles dropped down from the lower half of its body. Within seconds every   
living thing in the building was drained of their life essence. Tenchi watched   
all of this in absolute horror, and then he witnessed the monster cut a swath of   
death and destruction across the Elo'Quin city.  
"Oh my god. This is where they came from isn't it? This is the origin   
of the Darkness." Tenchi said.  
"Yes. In their arrogance and lack of foresight the Elo'Quin caused their   
own destruction. They created the Darkness." Tokimi explained.  
"Why didn't Orrin tell us this?" Tenchi said. It was more of a statement   
than a question.  
"Because he did not know. This event in their history was such an   
embarrassment that the Elo'Quin that they erased it from their history. They   
did not want to be known as the race that fathered the Darkness." Tokimi told   
him.  
Tenchi dropped to his knees. He could not look up at the thousands of   
corpses that now littered the streets around him.  
"There is more you must see." Tokimi said, and the world around Tenchi   
dropped away into bright light.  
  
Once again the Kryton was docked inside the royal hanger bay underneath   
the palace. This time the palace was once again in Juraian control. Washu and   
Orrin swept the entire compound of the palace and surrounding areas with their   
sensors looking for booby traps the Darkness could have left behind. They   
didn't find anything. What were able to do though was disconnected the   
Cerebrate from the rest of the Juraian computer network and move it to a more   
secure location. The study of the Cerebrate and how it functioned was a major   
undertaking for the Juraian intelligence community.  
Orrin was prepping Kryton for the flight back to Earth. This was going to   
be a hard fight without Tenchi coming along. Ryoko had already come aboard and   
went to the room she shared with Aeka and Tenchi. The others were preparing to   
leave. It was possible that this might end up a one-way trip for many of them.   
Katsuhito and Sasami took time to meet with their parents before going to the   
ship.  
"Mother, I do not know what will happen when we reach Kagato and Aeka."   
Katsuhito said.  
"Yosho, don't talk like that. You're acting as if I won't see you again."   
Fonaho scolded him.  
"Kagato is so much more powerful than he once was before. I have doubts   
that any of us will walk away from this battle alive." Katsuhito told her.  
"Without Tenchi this is going to be a really tough fight." Sasami added.  
"Let me send a full legion of my best troops to help you." Azusa   
suggested.  
"Actually I was going to suggest such a thing, myself." Sasami replied.  
"We'll keep watch over Tenchi and inform you the moment he makes any   
progress. I've assigned him the best medical staff on the planet in Washu's   
absence." Misaki said.  
"Thank you. And, I am certain Ryoko thanks you also." Katsuhito said with   
a bow.  
"Speaking of Ryoko, where is she?" Fonaho asked.  
"She's already on the Kryton. This situation has really hit her hard.   
She wants to help save Aeka, but at the same time she doesn't want to leave   
Tenchi's side." Sasami replied.  
"The poor thing." Misaki said with a sad expression.  
"Ryoko is a young and determined woman. I fear she means to avenge Tenchi   
and Aeka, even if it means her own life." Katsuhito said.  
None of them could speak after what he said. The implications were too   
horrible for them to dwell on. It took Sasami to break the silence.  
"I have been feeling a presence since Tenchi fell into his coma." She   
said.  
They looked at her in surprise and curiosity. "Huh?" Misaki said.  
"A presence I have felt in hundreds of thousands of years." Sasami said.  
Immediately they all knew that it was that part of Sasami that was Tsunami   
talking. The now adult Princess Sasami closed her eyes and leaned her head   
back. "I haven't said anything before because I chalked it up to nerves, but   
now there is no doubt anymore. I sense an ancient presence I haven't felt in a   
long long time." Sasami told him.  
  
A few hours later everyone but Sasami arrived at the boarding ramp for the   
Kryton. They all waited for her come to the ship before launching. Off in   
another part of palace Tenchi lay in a hospital bed. Dozens of medical monitors   
of all types were connected to him. A team of five doctors looked at the   
reading from the machines and they were all scratching their heads. They could   
understand the data they were receiving, but they could not understand why   
Tenchi was in this coma. The readings did not match what was consistent with a   
normal coma patient. At that moment, Sasami entered the room.  
"Could I have some time alone with him, please." She said.  
The head doctor told the others to clear the room, and he closed the door   
behind him when he left. Sasami walked up to Tenchi slowly. She leaned over   
and touched her forehead to his. Tenchi's symbol of power reacted as it did   
back on the Tsunami before the battle with Kagato. This time, when she touched   
Tenchi she felt the presence again.  
"Sister, why are you here? What are you doing with Tenchi?" she asked.  
  
Tenchi landed on his feet after traveling through another white tunnel and   
arrived in a place straight out of a fantasy. Parts of this place looked like   
Washu's subspace lab, but this place was grander and larger. As if Washu's lab   
could be any larger than it already was. Tokimi was already here, and she   
pointed in the direction of a darkened corridor. Tenchi followed and soon found   
himself in a small chamber. Washu was here, and it filled Tenchi with elation   
to see her.  
"Washu!" he cried, but when he ran up to her his hands passed through her   
body.  
"Now, lets see. All biophysical functions are fully operational. The   
gems are in place. Now its time to begin electrostatic stimulation." Washu   
said. Tenchi noticed that was in her child like form again. With Orrin in her   
life full time now she stayed in adult form.  
"What-" Tenchi was about to ask Tokimi, but she pointed and said, "Watch   
Tenchi."  
Tokimi pointed to a large tube that stood in the middle of the room. A   
pair of electronic probes came down from the ceiling and attached to the sides   
of the tube. Washu pressed a few buttons on her holographic laptop computer and   
the electrodes started to discharge. There were a few bright sparks of   
electricity in the tube, and then a medical monitor started to issue the sounds   
of a heartbeat.  
"Yes! I've done it! Full cardiovascular function! She's alive!" Washu   
shouted.  
The liquid in the tube drained and Tenchi gasped at the sight inside. A   
slightly younger Ryoko stood inside the tube completely naked. She was the most   
beautiful sight he had ever seen. Of course he had seen Ryoko naked many times   
before, and recently enjoyed having that body very close to his. Seeing her   
made him long to be in those supple arms again.  
The tube dropped into the floor and Ryoko stepped forward slowly. She   
walked awkwardly at first, but slowly got the knack of it. Washu was there to   
help her.  
"Who are you?" Ryoko asked Washu.  
"I'm your mother." Washu told her.  
"Who am I?" Ryoko asked.  
"You are you lovely Little Ryoko." Washu said with a smile.  
Tenchi felt a chill go down his back and he looked around quickly to find   
the source of what was disturbing him. In the shadows stood a dark figure. If   
Tenchi had not felt its presence he would never have seen it. Tenchi walked   
closer and found himself looking into the face of the man he hated more than any   
other in the universe, Kagato. The evil man who at this time was Washu's   
brightest student seemed oblivious to his presence.  
Kagato walked out of the shadows and approached Washu and Ryoko. "You've   
done it, Professor. And the rest of the academy council said it could not be   
done." He said. "Oh, Kagato, I'd know you were here." Washu said.  
"Keep away form them, Kagato!" Tenchi shouted. To his surprise Kagato   
turned around in surprise and looked around.  
"What is it?" Washu asked.  
"Nothing, I thought I heard something." Kagato said.  
  
Tenchi felt the familiar sensation of acceleration reaching him again.   
Soon he was traveling down another tunnel. This time he emerged in familiar   
surrounds. It was the royal palace of Jurai, but somehow it all seemed so   
different. In the distance he could hear a strange sound. It was high pitched   
and it rolled over the capital city. The hairs on the back of Tenchi neck went   
up and he realized that what he was hearing were air raid warning sirens.   
Tokimi watched at Tenchi ran around the courtyard and looked up into the sky.   
Suddenly, the unmistakable form of Ryo-Ohki cast her shadow over the palace and   
energy blasts issued from her cannons. Whole sections of the palace started to   
explode and rain down on the courtyard. Tenchi raised his hands to protect   
himself, but massive pieces of wood fell onto and through his body as if he was   
wasn't even there.  
Soon after that first attack Tenchi heard a cry from a young man. "You   
devil! AHHHHHH!" a young man in white robes cried. He was running towards Ryo-  
Ohki with the Master Key in his hands. "Grandfather." Tenchi said.  
"Yosho, take me with you! Yosho, take me with you!" cried Princess Aeka   
as she ran out of the ruined palace. Following close behind was the tiny figure   
of a very preteen Sasami. She looked so cute with her little ponytails tied up   
with bows. Her hair had not grown very long yet, so the ponytails right now ere   
very short. "Aeka, its too dangerous. I have to chase Ryoko down alone. Only   
I can stop this madness." Yosho told her. "Oh, please come back to me, my   
dearest Yosho." Aeka sobbed. Yosho took her in his arms and hugged her tight,   
and then without a word he turned and in the direction of Ryo-Ohki.  
"Why are you showing me this?" Tenchi asked.  
"Ryoko is very powerful, but she was not the one." Tokimi said.  
"What do you mean? Not the one what?" he asked her.  
"My sisters and I could look into the future and we saw the great evil   
coming. We knew our powers would be useless against this evil, so we endeavored   
to create a champion who could fight them. We collaborated to create the   
ultimate warrior at first, but due to our difference we went our separate ways   
to carry out our plans. Washu gave up her divinity and back human, Tsunami went   
to Jurai and merged with the intelligent trees there, and as for me I attempted   
to create the ultimate warrior also." She said.  
Tenchi turned to her. "Those monsters on that planet in the Dead Zone."   
He said.  
"Where a failed attempt to create the ultimate warrior. I placed that   
planet n the Dead Zone so my mistake would not before a threat to the universe."   
Tokimi said.  
"Ryoko was an attempt to create this ultimate warrior too, wasn't she."   
Tenchi said.  
"Washu did not have the memories of her past divinity, but she had   
implanted a subconscious directive that she use her intellect to create the   
ultimate being." Tokimi replied.  
"But of all three of you the one who succeeded was Tsunami. And that   
ultimate warrior was me." Tenchi said.  
"You catch on quickly." Tokimi told him with a smile.  
"But, why did all of this have to happen?" Tenchi asked waving his hand at   
the destruction of the palace around him.  
"This was unexpected, but my sister used it to her advantage. She   
intended for you and Ryoko to meet one another when the time was right. That is   
why your grandfather gave you the keys to her cave." Tokimi replied.  
"Gave me. Oh, yea. I guess it was strange that I was able to get those   
keys from grandpa so easily. I should have known better back then." Tenchi said   
and scratched the back of his head.  
Tokimi nodded and smiled at him. "But, Sasami already told me about that   
part. She said Tsunami intended my birth to take place and intended for me to   
meet Ryoko." Tenchi added.  
"Yes, but much more took place in your first meeting with Ryoko than you   
realize. A portion of the power in Ryoko's gems became a part of you. That   
power is hidden deep inside of you, and it must be awakened." Tokimi told him.  
Tenchi found himself accelerating again through the white tunnel. The   
trip was longer this time, and when it ended he was in a much darker place. He   
looked around and did not recognize anything of what he saw. He was on the   
surface of some alien planet at night. The area looked dead, there were no   
plants or animals, and all seemed quiet. Suddenly, the familiar form of the   
monster from Eli Prime appeared in the twilight sky. All around thousands of   
Elo'Quin suddenly appeared and ran towards the monster.  
"What's going on?" Tenchi asked.  
"Watch Tenchi." Tokimi told him.  
The Elo'Quin, thousands of them, stood side by side in a great circle   
around the monster. Tokimi took Tenchi's hand and they flew into the air. From   
their new vantage point Tenchi could see a vast ring of people surround the   
monster. Suddenly, a bright surge of energy worked its way around the circle of   
people and then concentrated into one point directly below the hovering monster.   
Tenchi could feel the immense power from this distance, and when the surge of   
energy burst into a beam he had to shield his eyes. The beam shot straight up   
and into the body of the monster. The creature writhed and screamed in an   
unholy voice. The Energy burst continued for several minutes and the loud cries   
from the monster reached a high pitch. Suddenly, the body of the monster   
withered and disintegrated in midair. The beam ceased immediately after.   
Tenchi expected to hear a loud cheer form those who destroyed the monster, but   
he was struck with horror as he saw the vast circle of people fall to the   
ground.  
"What! What happened to them?" Tenchi asked in surprise.  
"Destroying the Dark One took a great deal of power, and in expending that   
much power these people sacrificed their lives." Tokimi told him.  
"But, there must be thousand of people down there." Tenchi said in horror.  
"Ten thousand, exactly." Tokimi replied.  
"Ten thousand people died to destroy just one creature." Tenchi said, and   
he put his hands over his face.  
"The creature you saw can come back, but only if a suitable host for it   
can be found. That host must be powerful enough to withstand the strain it can   
put on the body." Tokimi told him.  
Tenchi looked up and suddenly realized in horror what she was getting to.   
Tenchi looked down at the sight of death below him and said, "Kagato is the new   
host, isn't he."  
"Yes." Tokimi replied.  
  
Sasami arrived at the Kryton and Orrin took little time getting the ship   
into the air. The sleek vessel streaked through the Juraian skies at top speed   
making a loud sonic boom as it passed over the royal palace. Once they reached   
space everyone on the bridge could see the thousands of Juraian ships massed in   
orbit. Eventually, over the past day or so the rest of the fleet from other   
parts of the galaxy had arrived at Jurai. Everyone on those ships watched in   
fascination as the Kryton formed a portal into subspace and passed into it.  
"At this speed we'll reach Earth in two hours." Orrin said.  
"Mmmm. We'd better use this time to get ready." Katsuhito said. He put   
his hands into the sleeves of his priest's robes and turned towards the exit.   
"I will be in meditation in my quarters." He added.  
"You got anything like a training room or gym on this ship?" Ryoko asked.   
Darius stood up and said, "Glad you asked that. Follow me."  
Ryoko looked at the young man with a funny expression. He was a good   
sort, but his eyes roved over her body way too much. She followed him towards   
the exit of the bridge and out into the corridor. As they walked she began to   
realize that she did not recognize the areas of the ship they were entering.   
She also realized that as far as they walked couldn't be possible knowing the   
size of the ship. Ryoko looked back in the direction they had come and saw that   
it was no illusion. Darius turned and saw the look on her face.  
"Interested in how we pulled this off, huh?" he asked.  
"The inside of the ship is bigger than the outside." Ryoko said.  
"It's done in a similar manner to how your mother's lab works." Darius   
explained.  
"I see." Ryoko said, but she didn't understand how her mother had created   
the lab anymore than she knew how they did this to the ship.  
Darius lead her to a set of large double doors. He inputted an access   
code into a panel next to the doors. With a loud hiss the double doors slid   
open and revealed a wondrous sight. Beyond the doors was a vast landscape of   
rolling hills and trees. An afternoon sky shaded with reds and blues painted   
the land in a mixture of ambient light. There was a warm breeze and the smell   
of exotic plant life in the air.  
"Oh my God." Was all Ryoko could manage to say.  
"This is the Arboretum. We come here to relax on long space trips."   
Darius said.  
"Its incredibly beautiful. It looks like it's an entire planet." Ryoko   
said.  
"Technically it is a planet, just in another subspace pocket inside of a   
pocket. Your mother would be the one to appreciate how it works." Darius   
explained.  
Ryoko stepped out into the Arboretum and looked back towards the doors.   
The entrance was a small building that set in the middle of a clearing. Behind   
the doors were more trees and rolling hills as far as the eyes could see.   
"Wow." She said in awe.  
"Hey, come one. You want to see the room we use to exercise in?" Darius   
asked.  
"I'm almost afraid to found out what it is." Ryoko admitted.  
They left the Arboretum and walked on for several more minutes until they   
came to set of massive doors. They looked imposing and huge. Darius walked to   
a second smaller door and again entered an access code. "Wait here and I'll let   
you in." he told Ryoko. He went into the smaller entrance and vanished. Ryoko   
looked up at the huge doors again and wondered what they could have been   
designed to contain. She jumped when a jet of steam shot out from between the   
doors as they slowly slid open. Ryoko squinted through the mist and into the   
interior of the room beyond.  
"Ok, you can enter now." Came Darius' voice over an intercom.  
Ryoko walked through the huge doorway and into a vast chamber that looked   
like a huge spherical arena. The walls were metallic and smooth, so smooth that   
they were semi-reflective. On one side of the arena far above the floor was a   
large, rectangular window. Ryoko could see Darius waving at her through it.  
"This is the Arena. Its our training center." Darius said over the   
intercom.  
"What do you train with?" Ryoko asked him.  
"I'm glad you asked that." Darius said. Suddenly, something told Ryoko to   
get airborne quickly. She complied with her sudden sixth sense feeling and   
launched herself upwards. Sure enough, a large explosion erupted where she had   
been standing. Ryoko whirled around and gasped as she realized that her   
surroundings suddenly changed. No longer was she in a huge metal sphere, but   
now she was inside of a huge cavern. Stalagmites and stalactites rose from the   
floor and ceiling of the cavern. Hovering in the air ahead and below her were   
dozens of heavily armed robotic war machines. The machines had a spindle shaped   
lower torso with a humanoid upper body. The heads sported only one large red   
optical sensor, and its two arms ended with a pair of oversized energy cannons.  
Before Ryoko could say a word the robots cut loose on her with their   
cannons. She dodged as many as she could and deflected a few shots with her   
shield, but the impact of those shots was tremendous. Tired of getting boxed   
around by these robots and their weaponry, Ryoko decided to show them just how   
much power she had. She swooped below their guns and fired off several energy   
blasts into the first robot. The impacts of her shots knocked the robot   
backwards, but seemed to do little or no damage.  
"Oh, shit." Ryoko said as the robot advanced on her and increased its   
firing rate. She immediately teleported out of its line of sight and   
rematerialized behind it. Ryoko's eyes went wide when she realized that she was   
now in the line of sight for a dozen other robots. They opened up on her, but   
she was too quick for them and teleported to safety. The robot she had been   
hiding behind was not for fortunate. It took the full brunt of the shots and   
exploded in a huge fireball.  
It did not take long for the robots to hone in on where Ryoko was. They   
quickly chased her down near the ceiling of the cavern. Ryoko dove underneath   
the robots and came up behind the last one in the group. The robot whirled   
around to open fire but did so only in time to see Ryoko's energy sword heading   
for its head. With the head gone the robot malfunctioned and dropped out of the   
air. The other robots engaged Ryoko quickly making her franticly dodge around   
their shots. One robot used a strategy of trying to box her in with its cannon   
fire. This strategy backfired as Ryoko lured the machine to open fire on a set   
of stalactites hanging down directly above it. The stalactites were huge, and   
as they fell the largest pierced the armor of the robot. The machine exploded   
when it hit the ground far below. The fight went on like this for nearly and   
hour and finally there was just one robot left.  
Ryoko noticed that each time she defeated one of the robots they gradually   
got smarter and smarter. This robot had gotten very smart now. It did not fire   
directly at any stalactites on the ceiling above it, and then generated a force   
field to prevent her from slicing off its head, and lastly its targeting   
accuracy wax very high. Ryoko was hard pressed to deal with this machine. She   
thought of a strategy that might work out, but it was risky. She flew past the   
machine at high speed and kept on going allowing the robot to follow. The   
machine matched her speed and then gradually got faster. Ryoko poured on the   
speed as well and headed for the sheer wall of the cavern. She waited for the   
machine to get close to her and she saw it was powering up its cannons for a   
powerful shot to finish her off. Just as she reached the wall of the cave,   
Ryoko phased through it. The robot did not, and its impact was so hard that it   
exploded. Ryoko phased out of the rock in time to see the wreckage of the   
machine fall to the floor of the cavern below.  
Ryoko was stunned when the cavern setting changed back to the spherical   
room, and there was no evidence that a battle had taken place at all.  
"That was very good. You beat the novice level." Darius said over the   
intercom.  
"What! That was the novice level! Those things nearly creamed me!" Ryoko   
shouted at him.  
"My dad designed this training center." Darius told her.  
"What level does your father train at?" Ryoko asked. Considering how   
powerful the alien prince was she was almost afraid to find out.  
"The maximum level. It's called the Doom Level." Darius told her.  
Ryoko thought for a moment and then said, "Let go for it." Darius was   
taken aback. "You sure about that? You had a hard time on the first level." He   
said.  
"Come on, we don't got all day!" Ryoko shouted at him.  
"Ok, but its your funeral." Darius told her.  
The surroundings changed immediately to an alien jungle. To be more   
accurate, Ryoko found herself high up in the canopy of a jungle of massively   
tall trees. She could see through the floor of the canopy and saw that the   
ground was so far down that she couldn't see it. Another level of the canopy   
was above her several hundred feet up. The jungle was vast and the trees were   
several hundred yards across. Clearly they were larger than any trees she had   
ever seen on any planet.  
Ryoko heard all sorts of exotic alien noises and could smell all sorts of   
exotic aromas that were all foreign to her. She noticed one sound that made the   
hairs on the back of her neck rise. She whirled around and found herself face   
to face with a horde of flying monsters. The crystalline horns on their heads   
clearly marketed the creatures as Darklings, and they sported bat like wings.   
There were only three of the monsters here. Ryoko assumed this would be an easy   
fight, since she battle Darklings before and won, and so she rushed at the   
creatures. Ryoko received an important lesson in humility when her intended   
target simply raised its hand and ensnared her in a force field bubble.  
"Huh?" Ryoko said in surprise.  
She fired off a blast of energy that just splashed off the interior of the   
bubble. Then, she summoned her sword and started to lash out, but the sword had   
no effect either. The Darkling approached her and effortlessly reached into the   
bubble and cupped one of her breasts in its clawed hand.  
"Let go, you slime ball!" she yelled and attacked the monster's hand.  
In response the creature moved its hand out of the way, but in doing so it   
ripped off the entire front half of her clothes revealing her ample bosoms.   
Ryoko growled in rage.  
"Your toast, you son of a bitch!" she said, and she summoned the full   
power of her Light Hawk Wings. This time the bubble shattered and Ryoko took   
little time to summon he sword and rush the creature that accosted her. The   
monster quickly lost its head and the other two quickly followed it into   
oblivion. When the fight was over the room returned to normal. Darius came out   
into the arena and said, "Wow, you did really well."  
"Thank you." Ryoko said, but then she realized something. There was a   
trickle of blood rolling down the young man's face from his nose, and his eyes   
were almost bulging out of their sockets. Ryoko looked down and saw surprise to   
see she was still exposed.  
Ryoko waved her hand in front of the young man's face and he appeared to   
be in a catatonic state. "Hello, Earth to Darius." Ryoko said into his ear.  
The young son of Orrin jumped and turned to face her. His eyes got a full   
look at her glorious womanhood again and his face turned candy apple red.   
Darius though the woman was beautiful, one of the most beautiful creatures he   
had ever seen. She was obviously off limits because she was married, but he   
still had a hard time not looking at her. He did not intend for the Darkling to   
rip off her clothes like that, and when it happened he got a good look. Darius   
for the first time knew he was looking at womanly perfection incarnate.  
"Darius. You don't happen to have an extra shirt I could borrow do you?"   
Ryoko asked him. She saw his reaction and decided to pay the young man back by   
making him a tad bit uncomfortable.  
"Oh, ah! Yea." Was all he said. Darius went into the control area and   
returned with a white t-shirt for Ryoko to put on. Ryoko stripped off the   
remnants of her old shirt in front of him. She took pleasure in seeing his   
reaction, and almost laughed out loud when he realized he was staring and turned   
around. When she was done Ryoko decided to put the topping on and finish her   
payback. She walked up to the young man and stood so close that her breasts   
pressed against his back. She could feel he body tense up. It reminded her of   
Tenchi and how he reacted to being this close to her years ago.  
"Thank for the workout." She said in a sultry voice.  
"Ah, well, uh." Darius stumbled to speak.  
"Did you like what you saw?" she asked him, whispering in his ear.  
"Uh." He croaked.  
"Consider this payback for not warning me you were going to set this thing   
loose on me." Ryoko said with a giggle.  
Ryoko left the room leaving Darius dumbfounded and looking like was about   
to collapse. He sat down in the middle of the room and just looked out into   
space for a few minutes. Before he got up to head back to the bridge he said to   
himself out loud, "Damn, and I thought Mihoshi was a goddess."  
  
Tenchi sat up not realizing that he had been asleep. He did not remember   
going to sleep at all. He looked around at his surroundings and suddenly   
realized what they were. He was in Ryoko's cave, but not just that he could   
feel the chill of water all around him. He looked around and found that he was   
sitting in the pool of water that had been Ryoko's prison for seven hundred long   
years. The only light in the chamber was the one coming from the pool of water   
he had been laying in.  
A sound from off in the darkness startles him. Tenchi turned and looked   
in the direction of the sound and is shocked to see himself. He was lying on   
his back at the bottom of the entrance ramp. An object fell out of the shadows   
and struck his double on the forehead. Unseen before, Tenchi noticed that for a   
moment his symbol of power appeared and then vanished. The entire events of his   
first meeting with Ryoko played out before his eyes, with him in Ryoko's role.   
Suddenly Tenchi felt himself loosing control of his own body. He layed back   
down into the water and waited. He saw his double walked up to the edge of the   
pool and look inside. His double reached down to pick up the Master Key, and   
Tenchi sat up and reached out for his double's hand. In his thought Tenchi   
could feel Ryoko's at the time this happened. She was experiencing elation   
beyond description. The young man who she watched grow up had come to save her   
from her prison, and in that moment she devoted her love to him forevermore.   
But, pain interrupted those thoughts as the Master Key lashed out and Tenchi   
watched his double race away into the murky darkness.  
"If only I knew then what I know now. This would have happened a little   
differently." Tenchi said.  
"But, it didn't. And you have no way to change history." Lady Tokimi   
said. She appeared from the dark recesses of the cave.  
"When the sword hit my head after my fall. That is when it happened."   
Tenchi said.  
"Yes." Lady Tokimi told him.  
"How do I awaken this new power inside of me?" Tenchi asked her. He was   
now himself again and standing outside of the pool. Ryoko in her mummified form   
stood up in the water and started to regenerate herself.  
"That is up to you, Tenchi." Lady Tokimi said, and the world fell away   
from around them again.  
  
Under cloak Kryton raced into Earth orbit at full speed. It had been a   
long time since they had been back to this planet. Ryoko looked out at the   
familiar blue orb that had been her home for so long, and the sight of it made   
her heart yearn for her dearest Tenchi. She could feel small impressions coming   
from him on the other end of the link. It started a half-hour after he fight in   
the Arena. She knew Tenchi wasn't fully awake, but the tiny impulses of though   
told her he might be recovering. On the other side of the coin, she could not   
feel anything from Aeka at all. Either she was blocking off her end of the   
link, or she was unconscious. Ryoko could not bring herself to consider the   
unthinkable that Aeka could be dead.  
"Man, sure looks like home." Darius said.  
"Yea, but there's no space traffic." Yuko added.  
"I am detecting a large vessel with Darkling energy signatures in low   
orbit." Kryton said.  
Washu looked at her console and said, "It's the big command ship Kiyone   
described to us."  
"I detect multiple humanoid life signs onboard." Kryton added.  
"Any sign of Kagato?" Orrin asked.  
"None that I can detect." Kryton replied.  
Orrin flew the ship close to the Darkling vessel and stopped just above   
its hull. At this range, if Kryton were to de-cloak, the ion emissions from the   
ship should conceal their presence.  
"Can you lock onto the individual life signs and teleport them onboard?"   
Washu asked the ship.  
"Ionic distortions inside the ship prevent me from getting a teleporter   
lock on everyone, but I can manage to get a lock on small groups." Kryton said.  
"It will take time to move that many people. I'm reading over six hundred   
on that ship." Washu said.  
"Precisely. I suggest we get started immediately in order to prevent   
detection." Kryton suggested.  
"Ok, start moving them, Kryton." Orrin said.  
Yuko got up from her post and headed for the exit. "Kryton, send them to   
cargo bay three, its large enough for that many people." She said before heading   
through the exit. "Certainly." The sentient ship replied.  
  
The elderly Oscoda woman Shoudowa was giving a young woman a drink of   
water from a basin jar. It had been a long time since Kiyone and her young   
grand daughter Chani left. She hoped beyond hope that they made it away safely.   
She had no way of knowing for certain, but something deep inside of her Owasso   
soul told her they were safe.  
The Darklings were no in the room at the moment, thus giving her some time   
to relax. Life inside the Darkling ship was harsh to say the least. The   
monsters did feed their captives, but they provided no means of cleaning up and   
no waste disposal. A makeshift bathroom had been setup near an airshaft that   
lead strait down in the middle of the room. The smell that wafted up from the   
bottom of the shaft was enough to make even someone with an iron stomach gag.  
Shoudowa decided to continue her rounds with the water when suddenly she   
felt a strange sensation. She felt a momentary feeling of weightlessness, and   
for a second through the monsters had turned off the gravity on them for laughs.   
However, as the world around her began to fade away into white light the Oscoda   
woman realized something else was happening. There was a sudden feeling of   
acceleration, and then she found herself in new surrounds. The pungent smell of   
body odor was gone replaced by a sterile, alien scent. She looked around and   
noticed that several others that had been around her were with her. The room   
she was in saw huge, the walls were lined with what appeared some kind of cargo   
carriers.  
"Is everyone here alright? Anybody need medical attention?" someone asked   
from across the room. Shoudowa turned and looked into the face of a beautiful   
young girl in a strange uniform.  
"Yes, the two young girls here need help." Shoudowa spoke up and pointed   
to a pair of young twin girls lying next to one another on the floor.  
The young woman rushed to the girls and passed what appeared to be a   
medical scanner on them. "They have severe dehydration." The woman said.  
"All they give us to drink is this." Shoudowa showed the woman the basin   
jar. She scanned it and her face scowled.  
"Oh, god. That stuff is contaminated with some kind of engine fuel or   
some other chemical." The woman said.  
"Will these two be alright?" Shoudowa asked. She did not bother to ask   
who the woman was. It was obvious that she was a part of a rescue effort to   
free the prisoners of the Darkling ship. She did not want to slow things down   
by asking a bunch of useless questions that could wait until later.  
"Well, they are pretty ill, but I think I can help them. And, oh no." the   
woman said as she scanned the girls again. "What is it?" Shoudowa asked.  
"The poor things. They've been repeatedly raped." The woman said, and she   
appeared to be on the verge of tears.  
"You will find many like this." Shoudowa said.  
"I'm sorry, my name is Yuko, what is your name?" the woman asked.  
"I am Shoudowa of the Oscoda Clan of the Owasso." Shoudowa told her.  
Yuko's eyes lit up and she said, "Oh, your little Chani's grand mother."  
"Chani is alive?" Shoudowa asked in excitement.  
"Yes, alive and well on planet Jurai." Yuko replied.  
Shoudowa dropped to her knees and put her hands together. "Praise be the   
great creator, Zaloom!" she cried.  
  
A hour later every prisoner on the Darkling ship was teleported onto the   
Kryton. Within that time, Kryton made a disturbing discovery. In his sensor   
sweeps of the Darkling ship he noticed something that bothered him very much.  
"Sire, I am detecting no Darkling energy signatures inside the ship. The   
vessel has the signature of Darkling technology, but the crew is missing."   
Kryton said.  
"Missing?" Darius asked.  
Orrin, Washu, and Ryoko looked at the globe of the Earth hanging in space   
in the forward view screen. "I don't like the sound of this." Ryoko said.  
"Kryton, start scanning for Darkling signatures on the planet. Leave no   
stone unturned." Orrin ordered.  
"At once, milord." The ship replied.  
A sensor sweep of the planet appeared on Washu's console. Almost   
immediately a large red botch appeared in the scan. "Found them!" Kryton   
exclaimed.  
"Oh my god, they're in the middle of Tokyo." Washu said.  
"Worse yet, I've started monitoring the local communications traffic. You   
might want to see this." Kryton said in a somber voice.  
A holographic display materialized and a television image appeared. A man   
in his late twenties wearing a business suit was running down a street in Tokyo.   
In his hand he held a microphone.  
"This is Walter Pierson for CNN News. It has been nearly twenty-four   
hours since the creatures first arrived in Tokyo, Japan. At this time there has   
been no attempts at communication from the creatures, and any attempt to contact   
them by local authorities here in Tokyo has meet with disaster. It is estimated   
that over four hundred may be dead or wounded from the first attack by these   
monsters, and there is speculation that a number of people caught up in the   
first firefight have been captured and are being held in Tokyo Tower."  
The camera angle changed to show Tokyo Tower. The huge structure no worse   
for wear in the aftermath of a battle. The camera on the ground zoomed in and   
the reporter spoke again.  
"Witnesses who saw the arrival and their first attack describe something   
out of a horror movie. They describe people being grabbed by the monsters and   
suddenly turning dark brown and withered. It is not know how this had happened   
and if it is the result of a weapon of some kind. Local officials will not   
comment on the situation, but have informed me that a call for aid from the   
local U.S. military naval base was made hours ago."  
  
"Holy shit!" Ryoko exclaimed.  
  
The broadcast changed to a reporter siding behind a studio desk.  
"This is just one more strange event that has struck since the Great   
Upheaval several weeks prior. The global earthquake, called the Great Upheaval,   
has had its effect on the global economy, and has put a strain on many already   
threadbare relationships between certain nations. It has been confirmed that   
for the past week Pakistan and India have been on the verge of launching nuclear   
strikes against one another. Rioting has raged throughout the United States as   
a race war between white, black, Arab, and Hispanic ethnic groups broke out in   
Detroit, Michigan, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, and New York   
City.  
It has been reported that for the past few days NORAD has been at Defcon   
2, according to Pentagon sources. The situation in Tokyo, Japan has made an   
already dangerous global climate even worse. Never since the Cuban Missile   
Crisis in the nineteen sixties has we come so close to nuclear war."  
  
"If we're going to do something about this we'd better act fast." Washu   
said.  
"Yea, things down there are falling apart fast." Ryoko added.  
"Setting a course for Tokyo, now." Orrin said.  
"Sire, what do we do about this Darkling ship?" Kryton asked.  
Orrin looked at the ship in the view screen display and then looked down   
at the planet. "Cut loose with a load of quantum torpedoes as we leave." Orrin   
said.  
"Yes, sir." Kryton replied.  
As the ship dove towards the Earth, it loosed a volley of torpedoes. The   
illuminated munitions ranged in on the Darkling ship and struck it in several   
places. The explosions were large, and they ripped into the hull of the ship.   
Soon after, the entire vessel exploded into a massive fireball.  
  
Donald Chapman liked his job, it had a lot of prestige, and he got to   
travel around the world. Today he was facing the biggest challenge of his   
career. Donald walked up to a seemingly unimposing door. Standing to either   
side were a two men in dark business suites wearing dark sunglasses. It was   
their trademark, but Donald felt it was too stereotypical. One of the men   
nodded to him and Donald opened the door. He walked into one of the most   
important offices in the entire world. A group of people we gathered around an   
old antique desk. Donald could not see the person seated at the table, but he   
knew that person was there.   
"I just received word from the Japanese conciliate that there are   
Americans among the people being held in Tokyo Tower." Donald announced.   
Everyone turned around and looked at him. Many of them had sad expressions on   
their faces, and one was totally unreadable.  
"Have they made any demands at all, anything?" the person at the desk   
asked.  
Donald approached the desk and the others moved out of his way. "No,   
Madam President. All attempts to communicate with the creatures have ended in   
failure or worse." Donald replied. In the past few hours, Donald had learned   
that being Vice President was a hard job after all.  
President Natalie Harrison sighed and looked over the various surveillance   
photos of Tokyo Tower. It was not an all that impressive structure compared to   
other sights around the world, but it was the one extraordinary landmark in   
Tokyo that drew the most tourists. It didn't have the old grand majesty of the   
Empire State building or the futuristic look and feel of the Toronto CN Tower.   
Yet, this seemingly ordinary tourist landmark now held a place in history. It   
was the sight of mankind's first contact with what appears to be alien life.  
President Harrison only wished it could have been a friendlier first   
meeting. "What are our options, gentlemen?" she asked. The people in the room   
were representatives of all the major branches of the Defense Department. The   
Navy, Air Force, and Special Forces were represented in the form of Brigadier   
General Maxwell Van Borne from the Army, Admiral Scott Randal from the Navy, and   
General William McKinney, Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The rest were   
Alexander DeLandra, Director of the CIA, Defense Secretary Edward Bach, and   
White House Press Secretary Kelly Atkinson.  
"The Japanese have ruled out an air assault because of the civilians in   
the tower. They want to try and minimize civilian casualties. Also, the tower   
is in the middle of Tokyo, one of the most heavily populated cities in Japan."   
Gen. McKinney said.  
"That would look good on the front of Newsweek. United States blows up   
tourist attraction to kill twelve alien invaders." Kelly Atkinson said.  
"We are not blowing anything up if we can't find another way out of this.   
Now, I want solutions that don't involve killing innocent people." President   
Harrison said.  
"That might be unavoidable. These beings have demonstrated that they are   
hostile. Attempts to communicate with them have met with no response and   
sometimes violent actions." Gen. Van Borne said.  
"I have to agree. We are facing a crisis greater than the Upheaval here,   
and either we nip it in the bud now or we could be looking at something worse in   
the long run." Admiral Randal said, his Texan draw was still has heavy as ever.  
The phone reserved for military and intelligence personnel to contact the   
Oval Office rang at that moment. President Harrison continued to debate the use   
of force while Vice President Donald Chapman answered it. He spoke for a short   
time with the person on the other end for a short time. Natalie noticed   
Donald's face turn white before he put the phone down.  
"I just received word from NORAD that a large explosion occurred in Earth   
orbit. Also, the large alien ship the satellite radar has been detecting is no   
longer there." Donald told them.  
"When did it happen?" CIA Director DeLandra asked.  
"Just five minutes ago. Not only that, but a second object has been   
detected and it is on a direct course for Tokyo. And, the Soviet nuclear   
missile network has just gone to full alert." Donald continued.  
"Christ!" Gen. Van Borne hissed.  
"We don't have much time. I need a strategy and I need one now."   
President Harrison told them. She looked around at the others in the room   
looking for the answers she wanted. Donald knew with the current situation   
going on he was going to have to leave the capital. Whenever the military went   
on alert, which was only during the Upheaval, did he have to leave D.C. Well,   
he heard autumn leaves at Camp David were pretty this time of year.  
  
Kryton reached the Japanese coast in only a few minutes after reentry. It   
did not take long for a dozen U.S. F15 Eagles to arrive. The planes, the staple   
of the U.S. naval carrier arsenal, took off from the U.S.S. Jamestown, which was   
stationed at the U.S. Naval base at Japan. They flew past the Kryton and the   
pilots were awed by the size of the ship. The F15 fighters posed no threat to   
the Kryton at all, even if its shields were down they could not cause any damage   
to the hull.  
"Tokyo Tower is that big structure directly ahead. We went there on a   
trip with Tenchi's father three years ago. That was when Tenchi was living in   
Tokyo." Sasami said as she pointed to the big structure.  
Ryoko flinched. She was hoping to get that episode in their lives behind   
them. She especially wanted get Sakuya out of her mind as well. Despite how   
she hated the girl for stealing Tenchi away from her, Ryoko still could not help   
feel sorry for her at the same time. After all, she wasn't a real person and   
was just a shadow of Yugi. The experiences of having a different Sakuya back at   
the house pregnant and all was what really changed her thoughts concerning the   
girl. "Kryton can you get a lock on where Aeka might be in there?" Orrin asked.  
"Scanning for Juraian life signs." Kryton said.  
After only a moment Kryton said, "She is on the far side of the middle   
observation deck, and I am detecting over thirty-five human life signs as well."  
"Damn. They have hostages. I've never known them to take hostages like   
this before." Darius said.  
"Kagato is controlling the Darklings now. This is his doing." Washu told   
him.  
"She is in close proximity to Kagato, and I am detecting twelve Darkling   
energy signatures." Kryton added.  
"Only twelve. That was a big ship up there, and it was devoid of   
Darklings." Washu said.  
"I don't like this either. Kryton, do a long range scan for any other   
Darkling signatures in the area." Orrin said.  
"Yes, sir." The ship replied.  
"Why are we just sitting here? Lets go get Aeka out of there." Ryoko said   
with an impatient growl.  
"Because we have no idea what we could be walking into. That is why we   
are just sitting here." Washu told her.  
"We want to save her too, but we won't do her any good if we're dead   
before we reach her. Besides, she is very close to Kagato now." Orrin added.  
"I am detecting multiple Darkling signatures in several locations around   
the city. They correlate with positions of the Fudo temples in my geological   
database of Earth in this region." Kryton said. A holographic representation of   
the sensor report appeared in from them.  
"Holy shit! There are two thousand and four Darklings total out there!"   
Darius exclaimed.  
Washu's eyes went wide and she gasped. "They must be channeling the   
energy needed for the Dark One to come here and merge with Kagato!" she shouted.  
"How long does it take them to do that?" Ryoko asked.  
"I hate to interrupt but I am detecting a massive surge of ethereal energy   
in the area. It is localized around the transmitter tower and the five   
temples." Kryton announced. A holographic display of what was happening   
appeared where the map of the city had been before.  
"Oh god. We're too late. He's here." Orrin said. Everyone on the bridge   
gasped in horror. Elsewhere inside the ship, Katsuhito sat in meditation on the   
floor of his cabin. He sensed something and opened his eyes.  
"I see. It has begun." He said without showing any emotion.  
  
Tenchi arrived at what he noticed was Eli Prime. This time it was at   
night. The lights of the city had gone out, but in the light of the twin moons   
he could see the bodies of the dead littering the ground.  
"Why are we back here?" he asked.  
He turned around expecting Tokimi to be there behind him, but she was   
nowhere to be seen.  
"Lady Tokimi!" he shouted into the darkness.  
"The sleeper must awaken." Came Tokimi's voice from everywhere and nowhere   
all at the same time.  
Tenchi heard a sound behind him. It was far away, but he noticed it in   
the eerie quiet of the dead city. It was the sound of scuffing feet walking.   
Another, and another joined the sound, and they got closer. To his horror,   
Tenchi watched as the bodies of the dead lying around him started to clumsily   
climb to their feet.  
"WAAHH!!!" he shouted as the walking corpses turned towards him and   
started shambling his direction.  
Tenchi whirled around and started running as fast as his feet would carry   
him. His eyes bugged out of his head when he met a on coming wall of zombies in   
the opposite direction. After a quick glance around he noticed that they were   
boxing him in from all sides. Thousands packed the streets, slowly walking   
towards him. Tenchi ran and kicked in a door to a building next to him. It   
appeared to be vacant as he ran through the corridors and up a flight of stairs.   
All the while, he could hear the scuffing feet of the dead behind him. He   
reached an upstairs room, and he closed the door behind him. Then, he pushed   
several large pieces of furniture in front of the door.  
"Ok, genius, think." He said to himself.  
Outside a hideous sound began to roll over the throng of zombies. It was   
low at first, but grew louder and louder. Tenchi went to the windows and opened   
on of them. He heard the same thing over and over again like a hellish mantra.  
"Redeem us! Redeem us! Redeem us!" came the horrendous, inhuman voices   
of the dead.   
The sound of pounding on the door caught Tenchi's attention and he turned   
around in time to see a twisted hand punch through the door. Other hands   
started to reach in and push the furniture away. All the while they chanted the   
same thing over and over again. "Redeem us! Redeem us! Redeem us!"  
Tenchi grabbed either side of his head and covered his ears. The chanting   
had gotten louder and louder, and was actually starting to hurt it was so loud.   
"Stop it!" he shouted.  
Then, Tenchi was something that filled with utter horror. The first   
zombie to enter the room appeared to be that of a woman. That in alone was not   
what terrified him, but it was the fact that he recognized the dress she was   
wearing. The zombie had soiled, powder blue hair that was once in a spiked   
style, and her dress was long and made with green and white stripes. The second   
had a tattered kimono with a tangled mop of purple hair.  
"Tenchi, why didn't you save us?" the Ryoko zombie asked. Her voice was   
inhuman, yet mournful at the same time.  
"We died when you left us." The Aeka zombie added.  
"NO!" Tenchi shouted. The undead forms of his two wives walked towards   
him with their arms out stretched.  
"We need you Tenchi, be with us." The zombie Ryoko said.  
"Be one of us." The Aeka zombie said.  
"This isn't real, this isn't real!" Tenchi shouted as he stepped back from   
the two.  
"Don't you love us anymore, Tenchi?" the Ryoko zombie asked.  
"Your not Aeka and Ryoko! This is all an illusion!" Tenchi cried. He   
turned and climbed onto the windowsill. He looked down at the thousands of   
undead in the streets around him and he knew of only one thing to do. He   
jumped.  
The Ryoko and Aeka zombies tried to reach out for him, but Tenchi was   
already I the air. As he fell towards the ground he thought about what was   
happening with the girls. He wondered if they could actually be dead, and this   
was Tokimi's twisted way of letting him know. Or, this could be a test, and   
they are alive. Either way Tenchi had enough. Before he reached the uplifted   
hands of the zombies below him, Tenchi reached deep down inside himself and   
called forth his power. In his current state Tenchi did not realize that he   
reached deep within his soul and pulled with all of the might his mind could   
muster. As he reached the undead on the ground Tenchi felt a surge of power the   
likes of which he had never felt before. A bright red burst of energy flew from   
his body and vaporized all of the zombies around him instantly. In that moment,   
Tenchi was suddenly in a different place. He was floating among the stars in   
deep space. Below him was the giant form of a spiral galaxy. The scene was   
giving him a horrendous case of vertigo, but he could not help but admire the   
beauty of the scene.  
"Now you understand." Came the voice of Lady Tokimi.  
Tenchi did. Somehow he did understand. With the surge of new power came   
a strange realization. An insight as you will. He understood things now that   
he had not understood before.  
"Thank you." Tenchi replied.  
"Go now, Tenchi, your family needs you." Tokimi said, and with that   
everything around him turned to bright white light.  
  
Noboyuki and Kiyone sat in a hospital room on the palace grounds. The   
doctors left to discuss new strategies for Tenchi's treatment, and so this game   
his father and fiancé some time to see him. Tenchi was still unconscious. A   
number of medical devices were connected to him. Most of them were from Washu's   
lab.  
"I wish I could have done more." Noboyuki said.  
"It wasn't your fault." Kiyone told him.  
"I just stood there." He said on the verge of tears.  
"It was your first major battle. How else did you expect to react?"   
Kiyone asked him. She hated seeing the love of her life this way.  
Fonaho came to the door and looked in. "Hello, Lady Fonaho." Said   
Noboyuki.  
"I came to let you know the cooks have dinner in the small dining hall if   
you're hungry." She said.  
"Thank you. But, I don't seem to get hungry anymore. Kiyone might want   
something." Noboyuki said.   
"I'll be down in a while, I want to stay here for a while." Kiyone told   
her.  
"Alright." Fonaho said. She turned to leave, but a sound from the bed   
made her stop in her tracks.  
"Mmmm." Came a sound from Tenchi's bed.  
Everyone immediately went to the bed. The medical monitors started to go   
wild and issued loud beeping sounds. A throng of doctors and nurses ran into   
the room. At that moment, Tenchi opened his eyes.  
"Tenchi!" Noboyuki cried. He threw his arms around his son's neck and   
started to cry.  
"I'm alright Dad." Tenchi said.  
"I am so glad to see you back with us, Tenchi." Fonaho said.  
"Where are Ryoko and Aeka?" Tenchi asked.  
Fonaho looked over at Noboyuki and Kiyone. She was not sure how to answer   
that question. Her hesitation to answer wasn't lost on Tenchi. He sat up and   
asked the question again, but this time with a little more force.  
"Aeka was kidnapped by Kagato, and now Orrin, grandfather, and Ryoko have   
gone after him." Noboyuki told him.  
"Where did they go?" Tenchi asked.  
"I think they said Kagato took Aeka back to Earth." Kiyone said.  
"Thank you." Tenchi said to her. A second late a red glow surrounded   
Tenchi's body and then suddenly he was gone. The bed covers that covered his   
legs slowly fell to the bed. His sudden departure went with only a slight sound   
like a soft "poof!" sound.  
"Tenchi!" Fonaho shouted after seeing him vanish.  
"What the hell is going on?" Noboyuki asked. The team of doctors and   
nurses all seemed at a total loss as to what just took place.  
  
Ryoko, Orrin and Katsuhito examined scans of Tokyo Tower and formulated a   
plan to get in, grab Aeka, and get out. There were others in the tower also,   
but Orrin planned to use the teleporter on Kryton to bring them out just like   
the prisoners on the Darkling command ship. Ryoko teleported them to the roof   
of the tower and then she phased them into the upper observation level. This   
area was where the creatures were holding people hostage. The people, who were   
already very frightened, did not know what to make of these new comers. A pair   
of Darklings attacked almost as soon as they appeared. Ryoko conjured her   
sword, dove under the swinging arms of her attacker, and brought up her sword to   
sever its head. Katsuhito took on the second monster. He leaped into the air   
with a loud Karate battle cry and ignited the Master Key. The Darkling saw the   
weapon and called forth its own powers. Katsuhito deflected several energy   
blasts from the beast and rushed it while swinging high. The blade sliced into   
the creature's chest causing a torrent of green energy to spill out into the   
room. The creature hissed in rage and grabbed for the old priest, but Katsuhito   
was too fast for it, and before it know what was coming the blade of the Master   
Key took its head.  
As the bodies of the two defeated monsters decayed into green slime the   
hostage all started to cheer and applaud.  
"Kryton, start teleporting these people out of here." Orrin said into his   
wrist computer.  
"Acknowledge." Kryton replied. Immediately, small groups of people began   
to vanish from the room as Kryton teleported them onboard.  
"I am still unable to get a lock on Aeka." Kryton told him.  
"Looks like we'll have to get her out of here the old fashioned way."   
Orrin said. He formed an energy ball and hurled it at the floor. It blasts a   
huge hole into the floor and the three quickly jumped into it to take advantage   
of any confusion. When the dust cleared they found themselves surround by   
Darklings. Behind them stood Kagato with Aeka held in a force field bubble.   
The princess was conscious and totally naked. She banged on the inside of her   
bubble and covered her womanhood with the other hand at the same time.  
"Let Aeka go!" Ryoko shouted.  
"Interesting, where is your precious Tenchi? I thought he would be here   
by now." Kagato asked with a sarcastic tone.  
"He's on his way." Ryoko lied. "You'd better let Aeka go before he gets   
here or you will pay the price." She added.  
"You take me for a fool, Ryoko. Your Tenchi isn't coming is he." Said   
Kagato.  
Ryoko groaned and the rage within her increased in intensity. "Because of   
you he's lying in a hospital bed in a coma, and I'll make you pay for it!" she   
cried.  
"Take your best shot." He said, and the Darklings that surrounded them   
attacked. They did not get very far, however. Orrin summoned his powers and   
the entire level was bathed in a bright white light. The Darklings that were   
touched by the light screamed in agony as they were slowly disintegrated.   
Kagato seemed totally unaffected. When the light diminished the Darklings were   
gone save for Kagato.  
"You were saying." Orrin said.  
"Ah, you are the Elo'Quin's champion the Regis kept telling me about. You   
are truly as powerful as she claimed." Kagato said.  
"We already met at the palace on Jurai. I came to finish what I started."   
Orrin said and he teleported to Kagato's side and swung at him with his energy   
sword. Kagato turned and countered the strike with his own weapon. The two   
began to exchange attacks rapidly. Ryoko and Katsuhito entered the fray and the   
Regent found himself faced with three determined opponents.  
"Three on one hardly seemed fair. Fair for you that is." Kagato said with   
a sneer.  
Suddenly, Orrin's blade struck Kagato in the chest. Green energy sprayed   
forth into the room and the Regent cried out in pain. In race, Kagato swung for   
Orrin but the prince deflected each attack effortlessly. That was when the   
others moved in. Katsuhito and Ryoko charged and swung their swords in hope   
that one of them out makes the killing blow. They both hit, and their weapons   
pierced deep into their victim. Kagato, energy leaking rapidly from his   
terrible wounds, staggered backwards and fell onto his back.  
"This is for Tenchi!" Ryoko cried as she raised her sword over her head to   
swing the killing blow. A dark form appeared out of nowhere. It moved light   
lightning and covered Kagato's body. Within the shadowy form Ryoko could see a   
pair of alien, malevolent eyes stare back at her. She saw the ultimate evil in   
those eyes and it frighten her unlike anything she had ever felt before. The   
darkness melded into Kagato's body and the Regent rolled over and started   
screaming as if in intense pain. In that moment the shield around Aeka winked   
out of existence.  
"Ryoko, get Aeka, we have to get the hell out of here!" Orrin cried.  
She moved swiftly to Aeka and grabbed her by the hand. The Princess   
looked at Kagato with disgust, but she could also feel the immense malevolence   
that had just moved among them.  
"W-w-w-what was that thing?" Aeka asked.  
Kagato stopped screaming and sat up. He looked at the four of them with   
those same malevolent eyes. The infinite evil of the thing penetrated their   
souls and Aeka felt petrified with terror.  
"I am reborn." The Kagato thing said in a voice that sounded like it had   
come from the eight level of hell itself.  
Orrin grabbed Ryoko and Aeka's arms and shouted, "Lets get the fuck out of   
here!" The four of them turned and ran for it. Kryton, detecting what was   
going on, locked onto them and teleported them to the ship. As soon as they   
materialized inside the ship Orrin cried out, "Destroy the tower Kryton! Full   
fire power!"  
Kryton unloaded everything at once on Tokyo Tower. A mammoth fireball   
engulfed the structure. The thousands of people on the ground watching what was   
going on screamed in terror and ran for their lives as the fireball spread and   
engulfed the alien space ship that fired the blast. The police and fire crews   
at the base of the tower scrambled as fast as they could as the flames splashed   
against the ground and raced towards them like a shockwave. Super headed gusts   
of wind measuring more than a hundred miles an hour tore through the streets of   
the city throwing parked cars into the air and shattering windows for dozens of   
miles. The intense heat set trees for more than a mile from Tokyo Tower ablaze,   
and the police cars and fire trucks at the base of the tower were melted into   
slag within seconds.  
In the aftermath of the blast, the people on the ground began to help each   
other up. A giant pillar of smoke shrouded where Tokyo Tower had once stood,   
and a massive crater replaced the location of the tower and the open land that   
surrounded. Miraculously, only a handful of people would later be found to have   
perished in the blast. During all of this Kryton was shaken with incredible   
intensity. The ship had never fired full power at a target point blank before,   
but it managed to survive the intensity of the counter flow of the excess   
energy. The four reached the bridge once the deck stopped shaking and looked   
out onto the devastation for the first time.  
"Oh God." Orrin said as he saw the huge crater.  
"You had to do it. Either that or let that thing get loose upon the   
universe." Washu told him. She had been on the bridge through the whole thing.  
A wind from the ocean came in and started to move the smoke from the   
crater away. As the smoke diminished Washu began to see a dark form suspended I   
the air.  
"Oh shit! He's still alive!" she cried.  
The others looked at the view screen. Aeka and Ryoko gasped in fright as   
they saw Kagato, completely unscathed, hovering in mid air. In their minds they   
heard the thing's voice say, "Pathetic."  
"Kryton put some distance between us and that thing." Orrin said as calmly   
as he could.  
"Yes sir." The ship said softly and slowly moved back a distance. The on   
lookers on the ground also saw the figure in the sky and they were awe by the   
spectacle, and frightened at the same time.  
"Kryton, broadcast this over all forms of Terran communication waves using   
all Terran languages." Orrin said. "Ready sir." Kryton replied.  
"Attention people of Earth. The being that hovers in the sky where Tokyo   
Tower once stood is a creature of unimaginable, malevolent power greater than   
anything this universe has ever seen. Make no attempt to communicate or attack   
it. Evacuate the entire area around the former tower immediately. It is a   
danger to all living things. The destruction of the tower and the surrounding   
area is unfortunate, but was done in an attempt to destroy this creature. Stay   
away from this area, save yourselves, and we will do what we can to draw this   
creature away from the Earth. That is all. Good luck." Orrin said.  
Kryton closed the connection and Washu hugged Orrin with all over might.   
"You just did a wonderful thing." She told him. "Yea, but now what the hell do   
we do?" he asked.  
"They apparently received your message sir. I am detecting a mass exodus   
of the entire surrounding area for several miles. They are moving on foot   
slowly, but they are leaving the area." Kryton said.  
"At least nobody else will get hurt. That is if anyone was hurt when   
Kryton blasted that tower to hell." Ryoko said.  
"With the power Kryton unleashed there would have to be some casualties."   
Washu said.  
"Washu, if we use that cannon of yours how much destruction will it   
cause?" Orrin asked.  
"None. Only your intended target will be destroyed." She told him.  
"Kryton, deploy Washu's cannon, target that creature, and fire." Orrin   
ordered.  
The weapon in question, the Trans-dimensional Temporal Inversion Cannon,   
rose out a hatch on Kryton's upper hull. The weapon, for its immense power, did   
not look that all impressive. It basically looked like a giant tuning fork on a   
swiveling base. Multiple devices hung off the machine that made up the barrel   
of the cannon. What was the most frightening about its appearance was the rats   
nest of cables that went to every device on the thing.  
"I have a target lock." Kryton announced.  
"Fire!" Orrin ordered.  
An intense surge of energy formed between the two forks of the barrel of   
the weapon. The light of the building energy became almost as bright as the sun   
that hung in the sky above. A strong vibration shuttered through the entire   
ship.  
"What might this little toy be, eh?" The thing in Kagato's body said.  
The cannon fired and the shot rang like a million thunderclaps. The   
white-hot beam stretched out and splashed against its target. When the   
maelstrom was over Washu looked through the view screen and gasped in horror.  
"It had no effect! That's impossible!" she cried.  
"This is not good." Ryoko said.  
"Oh no." Aeka said in fear.  
"We're fucked." Darius said.  
"Fire another one!" Orrin shouted.  
The weapon charged again and fired its intense blasts at the Kagato thing.   
Once again the blast had no effect.  
"Again!" Orrin cried.  
"We can't sir. The cannon subsystems have overheated and are shutting   
down." Kryton reported.  
"We are serious fucked." Darius said.  
"Would you shut the fuck up!" Ryoko yelled at him.  
Orrin went through every possible solution to this problem in his mind.   
There had to some way of stopping this monster. He remembered what it   
originally took to kill the thing and the thought of it made him shutter. Ten   
thousand Elo'Quin died to vanquish thing beast once before. Now, they were all   
that stood between it and the rest of the galaxy.  
"Is that all you have? I guess this means it's my turn." The Kagato thing   
said. He formed a small energy ball in his hand the hurled it at Kryton. The   
ship raised his deflector shields just in time, but the explosion that the   
energy ball made was immense. The force was strong enough to send the ship   
tumbling through the air. Everyone on the bridge cried out in shock. Sparks   
showered them from consoles that blew out, and smoke filled the cabin.  
"Sir, shields are down eighty five percent! We cannot survive another   
direct hit!" Kryton warned. His voice sounded crackly like static.  
The ship stopped tumbling and Orrin climbed to his feet. He helped Washu   
stand up and then went to the flight controls. "Give me flight control." Orrin   
said. The consoles engaged and Orrin worked the controls. He brought the ship   
around, set the throttle to full, and shouted into the microphone for the   
external speakers saying, "If you want us, come and get us you son of a bitch!"  
The Kagato thing looked at the departing ship, raised his hand, and said   
in an emotionless tone, "I don't think so." He gripped his hand into a fist and   
suddenly the ship stopped in place.  
"What the hell!" Orrin shouted. The throttle was at full but the ship   
wasn't moving. The Kagato thing swung his hand down with great force, and   
Kryton suddenly accelerated towards the ground.  
"Oh my god!" Washu cried as they were thrown from the deck of the bridge.   
The Kryton hit the ground with tremendous force sending up a huge plume of dust   
and fire. Everyone slowly climbed to their feet on unsteady legs and found   
their surroundings in total ruins. Almost all of the consoles were blown out,   
and a huge hole in the hull allowed sunlight to shine into the bridge.  
"Kryton!" Orrin cried out.  
"Ninety percent system failure------multiple hull breaches-----engines off   
line------weapons off line------life support off line------main computer core   
shutdown in ten seconds." Came the voice of Kryton filled with static.  
"I'm sorry old friend. I'm so sorry." Orrin said as he ran his hand over   
one of the wrecked consoles.  
Washu grabbed Orrin's arm and started to pull him away from the console.   
The others were already heading for the breach in the hull to escape the wrecked   
ship. "Orrin we have to go!" she shouted at him. "We've been through so much   
together." Orrin said. "Orrin, sweetheart, please!" Washu pleaded. Orrin came   
to and looked at her. "We're sitting ducks here, we have to go now." She said   
to him more calmly this time. Orrin nodded and followed her to the breach.   
Before leaving the ruined bridge he looked back and said, "I will avenge you my   
friend. This monster is toast."  
  
=============================  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
NEXT TIME...  
CAHPTER THREE: THE DARK ONE  
  
Aeka has been rescued, but Kryton was destroyed in the process. Now the gang,   
minus Tenchi, must find a way to stop the Ultimate Evil in the Universe. The   
greatest climatic battle of The Dark Lord of Jurai has begun. 


	4. The Dark Lord of Jurai - Episode 3: Chap...

LEGAL DISCLIMER: Tenchi Muyo is the register copyright and trademark of AIC and   
Pioneer. All Rights Reserved. This work of fiction is written for   
entertainment purposes only and not for profit.  
=============================  
NOTES: This is the chapter I've been waiting two long years to finally write.   
I can't believe I finally got this far. I have only more to go and I am   
finished with this saga. I hope you really enjoy it as much I do.   
=============================  
THE DARK LORD OF JURAI  
EPISODE THREE - NO NEED FOR AN APPOCALYPSE  
By Michael "The-Zorch" Haney  
  
CHAPTER THREE: THE DARK ONE   
=============================  
  
Ryoko, Aeka and Katsuhito climbed out of the wreckage of what had once   
been the most advanced and powerful starship in the universe next to the Tsunami   
itself. Following close behind came Washu with the owner of the ship, Prince   
Orrin Quintarin. The ship had been thrown to the Earth by the immense powers of   
a creature that could only be described as the ultimate evil in the universe.   
The Dark One, the source of the Darkling race.  
Darius and Yuko, Orrin's children, also climbed form the wreckage of the   
once great ship and looked around at the destruction. They had all come here to   
save Princess Aeka form Kagato who kidnapped her. They succeeded in saving her,   
but they failed to prevent the Dark One from entering Kagato's body. Thus, the   
incredibly evil entity is reborn to wreak havoc upon the universe once again.  
Orrin attempted to destroy the monster by firing everything the ship had   
at Tokyo Tower, but in the aftermath of the devastation the thing was still   
alive. Then, they tried an ultimate weapon that Washu had made a long time ago,   
but it was totally useless against this beast. When Orrin attempted to lure the   
thing away from the Earth, the Dark One had different plans. He grabbed the   
ship called the Kryton out of the sky and slammed it with all his might into the   
Earth crippling it. Now they were without a ship and faced with fighting a   
creature that was a million times more powerful than all of them combined.  
  
"This is fucking great!" Darius yelled as he looked at the ruined Kryton.  
"Would you shut your fucking mouth for once!" Yuko shouted back at him.  
"Both of you shut the fuck up! We have to think!" Orrin shouted.  
Ryoko looked into the sky where the Dark One in Kagato's body still   
floated in place. "Think hell, that thing is still above us." She said.  
"What do you know about the Dark One?" Washu asked.  
"Not too much. Only that he is somebody you don't want to fuck with, and   
this is proof." Said Darius as he pointed to the wreckage of the Kryton.  
"It took ten thousand Elo'Quin to destroy him the first time around."   
Orrin said.  
Katsuhito stepped up to them. "We unfortunately do not have ten thousand   
super-beings to help us." He said.  
"I wish Tenchi were here." Aeka said. Ryoko nodded and two women hugged   
each other for comfort. They had been and were still joined in the Great Bond   
with one another and Tenchi. It was a sharing of thoughts, feelings, and souls   
giving them a relationship that made all others pale by comparison.  
"Ok! Here is the plan. We head across country to the house and gain   
access to the lab. There must be something there we can use against this   
monster." Washu said.  
"Is the lab still connected with Jurai?" Aeka asked.  
"Yes it is." Washu replied.  
"Sounds good to me." Said Katsuhito.  
"Sounds like a plan, I like it." Orrin said and they started walking over   
the wreckage of the ship. All around them were the ruins of the local vicinity   
of Tokyo Tower. There was nothing left of the tower itself after Kryton fired   
on it at point blank range with all weapons. In the distance could be heard   
thousands of emergency sirens from police and fire, search & rescue vehicles.   
The whole scene reminded Ryoko of the events of 911 in America a few years ago.  
  
The Dark One easily had the power to wipe them all off the face of the   
planet without breaking a sweat, but it decided to let them live so it could   
make them suffer later on. He had more important things to do that the moment.   
The new host he was in was more than suited to his needs. I was physiologically   
capable to handling the metabolic shift caused by his presence in the body, and   
it could easily withstand the power he could summon at any given time. The   
Regis had chosen well. It was a shame, he thought, that she was unable to be   
here to see his resurrection that she made possible. But, it was time to move   
on, and in his mind's eye he could feel the presence of the new young Regis she   
had made before her untimely death. The Dark One took one more glance at his   
prey as they scampered away to plot his demise, as if they could defeat him, and   
then summoned his powers. A stable wormhole appeared in the air next to him and   
he passed into it and vanished from sight.  
  
Getting past all the police and military guard around the site of the   
destruction was simple for a group of super-powerful beings and one greatest   
genius scientist in the universe. The group wound their way through the streets   
of Tokyo until they came to a train station. Katsuhito bought tickets for   
Ohkawa for everyone. The ground sat together on the bullet train as it raced   
along over the Japanese countryside.  
"It doesn't really seem like home anymore." Ryoko said as she looked out   
the window.  
"Without Tenchi here it certainly doesn't." said Aeka.  
"This is the first time we've ever really been apart from him for a   
while." Said Ryoko.  
Aeka nodded. "We've always been together, if not physically, but mentally   
as well. We've grown accustomed to him being in our minds, so that even when he   
wasn't in the same room he was always with us." She said.  
"I certain Tenchi will come out of whatever it is he is in soon." Said   
Washu.  
"It's the thought of never seeing him again, never touching him again,   
that frightens me." Said Aeka on the verge of tears.  
"Stop Aeka or you're gonna make me cry." Ryoko said with tears welling in   
eyes as well.  
"Since the lab is still linked with Jurai why not just go through the   
doorway and see him." Orrin told them.  
Aeka and Ryoko looked at the alien prince and said, "We'll do that."  
"The others are probably worried about us also." Katsuhito said.  
"What I don't get is why that thing let us get away?" Ryoko asked.  
Orrin smiled and looked at her. "It's playing with us. It know we don't   
have the means to destroy it so it let us go." He said.  
"So it likes to play mind games, eh?" Washu said.  
"Not many of the original Elo'Quin from the time the Dark One was   
destroyed were still around. But we heard a lot of really terrifying stories   
about that thing." Yuko said.  
"I though all the Elo'Quin died killing it." Ryoko said.  
"Only those ten thousand. The Elo'Quin existed in the trillions at the   
height of their civilization. Many of that generation were still alive when we   
were born. Our grandmother was one." Darius explained.  
"The Dark One is the source of the Darkling race. He is the most powerful   
of them all." Orrin said.  
"We've been through many tight situations. First Kagato, then Dr. Clay,   
and then Yugi. But this, this one is different." Said Aeka.  
"Everyone has a weakness. That thing must have one. There's gotta be a   
way to stop it." Said Ryoko.  
  
A few hours later the train stopped at the Ohkawa station. The group   
caught a bus the rest of the way cross-country. Familiar landmarks began to   
appear. Tenchi's high school, which was closed now due to the crisis in Tokyo,   
the shops that they frequented from time to time to purchase groceries or sake,   
and even the pavilion where the festival was held on that faithful night that   
seemed to have happened so long ago.  
"We're home." Aeka said.  
"I suppose we are." Said Ryoko.  
The bus let them off where Tenchi usually always did when coming home from   
school. The long stairway to the shrine wound up the mountainside. The shrine   
looked like it always did, and Katsuhito was surprised to find that somebody had   
been keeping up the place. It was then that they remembered that they left   
someone in charge of the house and shrine when they all left for Jurai in what   
seemed like a million years ago.  
"I wonder if Makoto and Aeko are still here?" Ryoko asked. Makoto had   
been one of Tenchi's friends from school. Like Tenchi he had an alien love   
interest in the form of the lovely Aeko. Soon after the disastrous quake that   
occurred due to the shifting the moon's orbit the two arrived at the Masaki   
residence. Tenchi and all of them left the two in charge of the place when they   
left on Yagami for planet Jurai.  
As they all reached the bottom of the stairs and the house came into view   
they all knew they were finally home. Yet, without Tenchi there it didn't seem   
like home anymore. The guardians, Azaka and Kamadake, were not in their usual   
places at the main gate because they were back on Jurai.  
"Hey! Long time no see!" Aeka yelled from the front porch. She had a   
broom in her hand and was sweeping.  
"You and Makoto stayed her all this time?" Ryoko asked in surprise.  
"You guys left us in charge of the place, didn't you." Aeko said with a   
smile.  
"Thank you so much for looking after it for us like this." Said Aeka.  
"No problem." Aeko told her.  
"Where is Makoto?" Washu asked.  
"Well, somebody came here before you guys did. Said he was waiting for   
some friends to show up. Makoto and that person are in the kitchen." Aeko said.  
"Oh. I wonder who it might be." said Aeka.  
As the girls entered the house they suddenly felt a presence. That   
presence opened itself to them and they urgently ran as fast as they could   
towards the kitchen. The two almost slammed into each other as they crowded   
through the kitchen door. Inside Makoto was sipping on some tea at the kitchen   
table. Across from him sat a young man. The girls froze when they saw him, but   
the wave of powerful emotions coming from both of them was almost too much for   
either of them to contain.  
"TENCHI!" they cried.  
Tenchi Masaki stood up and opened up his arms. The girls ran to him and   
wrapped their arms around him as tight as they could. They didn't want to ever   
let him go again. They knew this was the real Tenchi because in their minds,   
which he now opened up to them fully, was the feeling of his immense love for   
both of them. Yet, somehow there was something different also.  
"Oh my darling Tenchi, we missed you so much." Aeka sobbed.  
"We thought we'd never ever see you again." Ryoko cried.  
Tenchi returned their embrace and kissed them passionate one by one. "You   
both know me better than that. I'd never leave you." He said.  
Overwhelmed by his simple but sweet words they both sobbed into his chest,   
drenching his shirt with tears.  
"Well, looks like the mountain comes to Mohammad." Said Washu after see   
Tenchi with the girls clinging to him. Her own eyes were starting to fill with   
tears. She had been afraid of never seeing his face again either. Despite   
everything that went on Washu loved Tenchi very much. He was a part of her   
family, and she a part of his.  
"Man, we thought you were like vegged out or something." Said Darius.  
"Actually I was learning something." Tenchi said.  
"Learning something, learning what?" Ryoko asked.  
"Actually I sort of met someone, and little Washu has some explaining to   
do also." Tenchi said.  
"Me?" asked Washu with a perplexed look on her face.  
"I know the truth Washu. I know why I was born." Said Tenchi.  
"Of, course. Sasami told you." Said Aeka.  
"No, that was just the tip of the iceberg. I know the real reason why,   
and a whole lot more." He said.  
Washu sat down at the table and poured herself a cup of tea. "Ok. What   
did I do?" she asked.  
"You, Tsunami, and Tokimi had foreseen the coming of the Darkness. You   
knew your powers would be nothing compared to them, so you began to work to   
create the ultimate warrior. However, none of you saw eye to eye on how to go   
about it, so you went your separate ways to create your own." Said Tenchi.  
Washu's face was one of total shock. "You spoke with Tokimi." She said.  
"What? You mean Lady Tokimi?" Aeka asked.  
"You made it sound as if she was the most evil being in existence." Tenchi   
said giving Washu a scolding look.  
Washu's face was blushed bright red and she said, "Well, you know me   
Tenchi I tend to exaggerate. Hehehe!"  
"Uh huh?" he said in response.  
"What else did she tell you?" asked Washu.  
"Its not what she told me, but what she showed me." He replied.  
Tenchi looked at Orrin and asked, "Does the name Eli Prime have any   
meaning to you?"  
Orrin sat next to Washu at the table. Katsuhito went and sat next to   
Makoto. Darius and Yuko stayed where they were totally transfixed on what   
Tenchi was saying.  
"It is the homeworld of the Elo'Quin Empire, but we were never able to   
find it." He replied.  
"I was there. Tokimi took me to Eli Prime. I saw the events that took   
place that heralded the end of their civilization." Tenchi told him.  
"You saw the first appearance of the Darkness?" Darius asked in surprise.  
"WOW!" Yuko exclaimed.  
"This won't be easy for you to hear, but you have to know the truth. The   
Elo'Quin lied about the origin of the Darkness." Tenchi said.  
"Huh? What do you mean? They came through a dimensional gateway the   
Elo'Quin created on Eli Prime." Said Orrin.  
"That isn't what happened at all. The Elo'Quin were experimenting but not   
on dimensional portals." Tenchi said.  
"What did they do then?" Orrin asked.  
"They were experimenting on a life form in an attempt to create what they   
called an living ethereal energy battery for implantation into their bodies."   
Tenchi said.  
Darius slammed his hands onto the tabletop. "Wait one fucking minute! Do   
you mean that the Elo'Quin created the Darkness?" he asked.  
"Before they woke up the first person they implanted one of the scientists   
said that they hadn't done enough research into the true nature of the creatures   
they were working with." Tenchi explained.  
"It all makes sense. If they found a race that could function as ethereal   
energy collectors then they could have re-engineered them into a kind of living   
implant to store that energy in their bodies to boost their powers. Given the   
aggressive nature of the Darkness, it is likely that the life forms they found   
were not docile creatures, but actually aggressive predators." Said Washu.  
"None of this was in the archives." Said Orrin with a shocked expression.  
"If you created a race of beings capable of destroying whole universes   
would you want to spread the word that it was your fault?" Washu asked him.  
Orrin put his face in his hands and said, "Oh god."  
"Where is Kagato?" Tenchi asked.  
"He isn't Kagato anymore. He's some kind of thing now." Ryoko told him.  
"I see. So the Dark One has come back already." Tenchi said.  
"Yea, and he totally thrashed poor Kryton." Said Darius. Tenchi looked up   
at him in surprise and then Ryoko said. "We tried to destroy it, but it was too   
powerful for us."  
"What happened?" Tenchi asked.  
"He grabbed us out of the sky and buried Kryton half way into the ground   
is what that son of a bitch did." Said Darius.  
"I'm afraid he isn't going to be flying for quite a while. At least   
until we can repair him." Said Washu.  
"Nah. Just get his main system core functioning and he can rebuild   
himself like last time." Said Orrin.  
"Anyway, that fucker is on the loose and we have no way of stopping him."   
Darius said.  
"And, without a ship there isn't much we can." Said Aeka.  
"I wouldn't exactly say we didn't have a ship." Said Tenchi.  
"That's right, you came here in a ship." Ryoko said.  
"Actually no, but there is a ship on its way." Tenchi replied.  
"Huh? How did you get here then, and what ship is it?" Washu asked.  
"She'll be here in just a minute. Go outside and see for yourself."   
Tenchi told her.  
The others looked at Tenchi with a strange expression and did as he said.   
They all crowded onto the wooded patio outside of the house and looked into the   
sky. Immediately a huge dark portal formed in the sky and out of it came a long   
elegant Juraian starship. It was the Tsunami.  
"Sasami!" Aeka shouted as the ship descended towards the pond and stopped   
just above the waters. A tall figure materialized at the waters edge and it ran   
towards them.  
"Aeka!" Sasami cried as she reached her sister and embraced her.  
"Oh Sasami, I missed you." Aeka said returning the embrace.  
Katsuhito looked at the Tsunami and then back at Tenchi. Somehow he could   
sense something different about Tenchi but he couldn't put his finger on it.  
"Hmmm. I guess now we have a ship." He said.  
  
The President of the United States sat in the Oval Office and ran a tope   
playing the alien message over and over again. She stopped the recording after   
it played for the tenth time and sighed. What did it mean she thought? There   
were few answers coming in. She called for the director of the CIA to come to   
her office again. She was going to need him to gather information for her, and   
this time he had to do whatever it took to get it.  
"Director DeLandra his here, madam President" said a Secret Service agent   
who opened the door to let the man in.  
"Alex, what the hell is going on?" President Natalie Harrison asked.  
"I have been running myself insane the past couple of hours. Some very   
serious shit has gone down in Japan." He said.  
"I heard; the message, the explosions, and the alien ship has crashed if   
the reports on the news are correct." President Harrison said.  
"That's just the tip of the iceberg. Apparently there has been a lot more   
going on, a lot more going back years." Director DeLandra said. He opened his   
briefcase and took out a stack of papers and photographs. "The mysterious   
destruction of a high school in Ohkawa, Japan that has their arson specialist   
scratching their heads to this day. The destruction of the Sato Bridge by an   
alleged meteor that nobody can find evidence of. Reports of strange events   
taking place in the city of Tokyo over a period of one year." He continued.  
"My God." Was all the President could say as she looked at the photos and   
paperwork.  
"That isn't the worse of it. There is report from 1995 of a UFO appearing   
over a suburb of Ohkawa. People report hearing a loud voice calling for a   
person named Ryoko, loud explosions, and then a house mysteriously vanishes.   
The house belongs to an architect by the name of Noboyuki Masaki. The house was   
reported to have moved several miles to a rural region outside Ohkawa near a   
Shinto shrine owned by the man's adopted father, Katsuhito Masaki. In the years   
following there have been numerous reports of UFO sightings over that same   
area." DeLandra said.  
"What was the date the house vanished?" Pres. Harrison asked.  
"July 7th, 1995 I believe." Directory DeLandra told her.  
"This translation of the house relocation permit shows a date of August   
17th." She said.  
"Son of a bitch, it does." The director said after looking at the paper.  
"Get somebody on this and ride it until we get some answers. All hell is   
breaking loose out there. The Russians are on full nuclear alert, Israel is in   
a state of war, a race war between blacks and Hispanics has broken out in   
California, there are riots in the streets of London, and now this shit in   
Tokyo!" The President told him. She her hand down on the papers DeLandra   
brought to her.  
"We're on it madam president." DeLandra said as he left the office.  
  
Gaining access to the lab was easy. All Washu had to do was create   
another gateway in subspace. It was in its customary spot in the broom closet   
under the stairs. Everyone was gathered around Washu's holographic laptop as   
she rapidly tapped out commands on the keyboard. A display of Kagato was on the   
screen.  
"According to this his metabolic and psychometric patterns have doubled   
nearly one hundred percent." She said.  
"Whatever that means." Said Ryoko.  
"It means his body is in turbo charge mode." Washu told her.  
"Is there any way we can exploit that?" Orrin asked.  
"None that I can determine. Kagato's body modified by his Darkling Regent   
parasite can easily withstand those forces, and more." She replied.  
"What would happen if we killed the parasite?" Aeka asked.  
"There may be a way to do that, but you'd have to survive long enough to   
get close enough to him to do it." Orrin said.  
"Stab a shaft of pure silver into the region where the parasite is.   
Silver disrupts the flow of energy inside of a Darkling, and it should distract   
it long enough for one of us to get close enough to finish him off." Orrin   
explained.  
"Sounds like a suicide mission." Said Ryoko.  
"There is no way we could survive a frontal assault against that monster."   
Said Darius.  
"I agree with that." Said Washu.  
"Where did he go, anyway?" Sasami asked.  
Washu typed in a sequence of commands and a new display appeared. "He   
isn't in Tokyo anymore, and neither are any of the other Darklings for that   
matter. But, I do detect the trace of neutrino emissions that suggest that   
wherever they went they did so via subspace." She said.  
"Then they could be anywhere in the universe for all we know." Said Orrin.  
"No, he's still on Earth." Said Tenchi.  
"Huh?" everyone said at once and they looked at him except Washu. "I can   
feel him. He is here on Earth. Whatever it is he wants it's on this planet."   
He added.  
"What he wants is you Tenchi, or more accurately your life essence. He   
needs a huge recharge of power and your life force supplemented by your hidden   
powers is exactly what he needs." Said Washu.  
Ryoko's eyes went wide. "If Tenchi can feel this thing, can this thing   
feel where Tenchi is?" she asked.  
"Very likely." Said Washu.  
Ryoko grabbed Tenchi's arms and started to pull him towards the door.   
"Then lets run away from here. Get away from this planet as fast as possible."   
She said.  
"It won't do any good running. That thing will chase us down for all of   
eternity to get what it wants." Washu told her.  
"I have to face him." Said Tenchi. He turned to Ryoko and Aeka and placed   
his hands on their shoulders. "I know you don't like it but this is my destiny   
to face this monster. It is what I was born to do." He added.  
"Tenchi." The girls said on the verge of crying.  
Katsuhito pushed his glasses up on his face and said, "Something else   
happened when you were talking with Lady Tokimi. Didn't it Tenchi?"  
"Yes, grandpa, something else did happen. And I have to face this monster   
or this universe and everyone in it is doomed." Tenchi replied.  
  
Special Agent Daniel Nagasaki was attached to the special investigations   
branch of the CIA. His job was to infiltrate and investigate suspected   
terrorist groups. As it happens he was in Hong Kong at the time the events in   
Tokyo went down. At the American consulate he received a call from Director   
DeLandra requesting him to set his current assignment aside for one of greater   
importance. He had been investigating suspected financial ties between the Hong   
Kong mafia and a Palestinian group suspected of two car bombings in London over   
the past two years. Daniel accepted the new assignment and headed for the Hong   
Kong airport. Getting into Japan during its state of emergency would be   
difficult, but Daniel discovered that DeLandra made sure he had to obstacles in   
this path. The Director of the CIA even had agents from the Ohkawa Police   
Department waiting for him at the airport in Tokyo.  
The agents drove Agent Nagasaki all the way from Tokyo to Ohkawa. He was   
the son of American Japanese who immigrated to the States before the outbreak of   
World War II. He was fluent in speaking and reading Japanese, but this was the   
first time he had been to the birthplace of his parents. His family lived in   
rural Ohio and he father was a steel mill worker.  
He did not have time to look at the beautiful scenery of the Japanese   
countryside. He was too busy looking at the materials DeLandra faxed over to   
him concerning this case. It was a matter of the highest national security. It   
made him feel good that Alex DeLandra trusted him enough to carry out this   
sensitive mission. After all, he was one of the best field agents in the CIA.  
Daniel has seen action all over the world; Afghanistan, Cuba, South   
Africa, Libya, Iran, Southern Ireland, and Soviet Russia before the fall of the   
communist government. He'd been on all sorts of missions, but this one was the   
strangest he ever been on in his entire career. His job to investigate a house   
belonging to an architect named Noboyuki Masaki. His mission, find evidence of   
alien involvement there and report back his findings directly to Washington.  
"We are nearing the Masaki residence now, Agent Nagasaki" said the officer   
who drove the car.  
"Stop here. This is where I go alone, gentlemen." He told them.  
"Sir?" the officer said.  
"This is an urgent high security matter and I'm not at liberty to say any   
more about it. Thank you for your assistance. You've done a great service to   
both the government of the United States and the government of Japan. Thank   
you." He told them. He got out of the car and headed for the stairs that lead   
to the Masaki family shrine.  
  
"I located him! He's on Easter Island!" Washu shouted. Everyone had left   
the lab and were out in the house. It had been so long since they had been home   
that the place almost seemed alien to them. Sasami and Aeko immediately went to   
the kitchen. It had been so long since Sasami had many anything here and she   
wanted to get back to work as usual. Tenchi, Aeka, and Ryoko sat on the couch   
watching the world news coverage of events.  
"What could he be doing on Easter Island?" Tenchi asked.  
"Simple, Easter Island is a major nexus for the ethereal ley lines that   
encircle the Earth." Said Washu.  
"I thought that strange universe where our powers were doubled was the   
only place with ley lines." Said Ryoko.  
"Nope. Earth has ley lines, only not as strong as that other Earth did.   
Even planet Jurai has ley lines." Said Washu.  
Tenchi stood up and said, "We'd better get ready then."  
"Easter Island is unpopulated, so there is no chance of innocent deaths.   
We should take this opportunity now to get him." Said Orrin.  
"Then let us go." Said Aeka.  
  
They went outside and headed for the lake. Still hovering about the   
surface was the beautiful form of the starship Tsunami. They stopped at the   
edge of the waters and looked back at the house.  
"Why do I get the strange feeling that this is going to be the last time   
we see this place?" asked Ryoko.  
"Your just nervous." Tenchi told her.  
"I guess so." She replied.  
"Once we get their we might run into those Darklings that went with him.   
They are going to fight us like with an insane ferocity, so be ready." Orrin   
told them.  
"Ok, here we go." Said Sasami and she called upon the ship to teleport   
them.  
  
"FREEZE!" came a voice from behind them.  
  
"Now what!" Ryoko shouted as she turned around and found the barrel of a   
gun sticking in her face.  
A tall, young Japanese man in a gray sport coat and slacks with a Glock   
handgun stood on the patch from the shrine.  
"Who the hell are you?" asked Ryoko.  
"Special Agent Nagasaki of the CIA. Don't any of you move so much as a   
muscle." The man said.  
"We don't have time for this." Said Orrin.  
"I said don't move, and don't say a word!" Agent Nagasaki shouted. He   
reached into his sport coat with his other hand and pulled out a cell phone.  
"Sasami, take him with us." Tenchi said.  
"I said don't------WAAAAHHHH!!!!!" the man screamed as the world around   
him suddenly fell away.  
After several seconds of disorientation Daniel found himself in different   
surroundings. He was standing in the middle of a huge room with a vaulted   
ceiling, huge jutting architecture, and a scattering foliage. In one part of   
the huge room was a massive, magnificent tree. The whole experience left him   
petrified and he couldn't move.  
"I'll take that. Thank you." Washu said as plucked the pistol from his   
hand.  
"W-w-w-w-where am I?" he asked.  
"You're on our ship, the Tsunami. Although where we're going you'll wish   
you'd stayed out of our way." Washu told him.  
Daniel snapped out his paralyzing fear and he looked at these people more   
carefully. The one who took his gun was a tall, beautiful woman with a mane   
full of red hair. The other woman who had spoken after he shouted for them to   
freeze was tall and just as alluring with powder blue hair in a spiked style.   
Nest to her was a very lovely young woman with purple hair. The next was a tall   
woman with long sky blue hair who looked like she was working some kind of   
strange console. That woman was the most beautiful creature he had ever set his   
eyes on. The next two appeared to be teenagers, a young man and a young girl.   
Their resemblance to one another suggested that they might be twins. The last   
three was a young Japanese teenager with black, short-cropped hair, a tall   
elderly Japanese man wearing priest's robes, and a tall man who looked American   
who wore a suite that was all black with a black cape.  
"Who are you people?" Daniel asked.  
"I'm Washu, the greatest scientific genius in the universe, that is my   
daughter Ryoko, Princess Aeka, Tenchi, my boyfriend Orrin, his kids, Darius and   
Yuko, Tenchi's grandfather Katsuhito, and Princess Sasami sister to Aeka is at   
the helm." Washu said quickly.  
"Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?" he asked.  
"Two more minutes and we'll be at Easter Island." Sasami said.  
"That's where your base is, eh?" Daniel said with a suspicious look.  
"No, that is where he is." Said Washu.  
"He who?" Agent Nagasaki asked.  
Washu went back to monitoring her instruments. It was then that she   
discovered a strange energy pattern. As soon as she realized what it was she   
gasped in shock. The Dark One was channeling the natural ethereal energies of   
the Earth ley lines through his body. The creature concentrated the energy on   
one point and hurled it into space. The energy ball traveled beyond the orbit   
of the moon and suddenly changed.  
"He's forming a dimensional rift in space!" she shouted.  
"What!" everyone shouted in surprise.  
"Oh no, he's gone! The Tsunami's sensors don't detect him on the island   
anymore!" Sasami shouted.  
"What the hell is going on? Somebody tell me what is happening here?"   
Daniel asked again.  
"We are trying to prevent a galactic apocalypse!" Orrin shouted back at   
the man.  
Washu watched her laptop as a spatial rift formed. From the maw of its   
event horizon emerged a massive object. Orrin walked his way over and looked at   
the display screen. His face turned white for a moment. The others looked also   
and could not believe what they were seeing.  
"What the hell is that?" Ryoko asked.  
"It is a hive ship. The most powerful vessel in the Darkling fleet."   
Orrin told her.  
"That thing is almost as big as the damn Xevius was!" Washu exclaimed.  
"It is nearly one-hundred times more lethal." Orrin said.  
  
The massive hive ship fully emerged from the rift and immediately began to   
expel thousands of smaller vessels. These and the hive ship itself turned onto   
a course away from the Earth and raced off into deep space. Washu tracked their   
course and checked her star charts to find out where they were heading. She   
gasped when she saw what their destination was.  
"They're heading for Jurai." She said.  
"That is an attack force that is nearly one-hundred times larger than the   
one they originally arrived with. This time I don't think even the disruption   
wave generators will stop them." Orrin added.  
"We have to do something!" Aeka cried. The thought an attack was heading   
for Jurai that could overwhelm the defense forces there terrified her.  
Tenchi walked up to Sasami and put his hand on her shoulder. The young,   
beautiful woman who had been a child only a few days ago turned and looked into   
his eyes. When Sasami did so she saw something in them, she was not afraid of   
what she saw there, but she knew that this was not the same Tenchi she once knew   
and adored. This Tenchi was a different person now. "Take us to Jurai." He   
said. All she could do was nod, and then she turned to the command podium for   
the ship and set a course for planet Jurai.  
  
Life on Jurai was slowly beginning to get back to normal. The rebuilding   
process was going to take some time though. It had been only a few days since   
the great battle to liberate the capital and the palace had taken place. The   
emperor of Jurai and his two wives enjoyed some private time in their private   
suite in the palace. It had been a while since they'd been able to sit down and   
relax since the great battle ended.  
"The Minister of the Interior will have a report on the total amount of   
damage to the capital city in the morning." Misaki said.  
"Arch Prelate Annias and the Holy Council are calling a session tomorrow."   
Fonaho added.  
"What about?" the emperor asked.  
"Some members of the other branch families have requested it. They want   
to investigate the appointment of Tenchi as the official heir to the throne."   
Fonaho told him.  
Azusa stood up with surprise. "What?" he shouted.  
"Some of the members of the other families feel that your appointment of   
him as heir was in total disregard for regular royal protocol." Fonaho said.  
"As far as I am concerned he is the only one suitable for the throne!"   
Azusa yelled.  
"That certainly is a major change in attitude." Misaki observed.  
"That was before all of this happened, before I saw Tenchi for who he was   
and understood that he was a good man. That he was good to my daughters, a   
loving husband to Aeka, and willing to fight to protect a people he never knew."   
The Emperor said.  
"You need to go before the council and say that." Misaki said.  
"Who in the branch families called for this investigation?" Azusa asked.  
"Well, you will not be happy about this. It was Seiryu, and a few   
others." Fonaho told him.  
Azusa ran his hand down his face. He could not believe he actually tried   
to saddle Aeka with such a pathetic shadow of a man. Seiryu was a stereotypical   
foppish courtier. He was self-absorbed, arrogant, and annoying. The Emperor   
shuttered at the thought of what his and Aeka's children would have looked like.  
"That little weasel." Azusa growled under his breath.  
"They can't withdraw Tenchi as the heir, can they?" asked Misaki.  
"It would take a majority vote of the Holy Council to supersede the   
Emperor's choice for heir to the throne. Unfortunately, much of the council is   
made up of members of the families that filed the grievance concerning Tenchi's   
appointment." Fonaho explained.  
"Tenchi is married to Princess Aeka who is my daughter and who is   
automatically next in line to the throne by proclamation of the law passed by   
the Holy Council thousands of years ago!" Azusa shouted.  
"That is true, but many in the branch families have become adept at using   
the many loop holes in the laws to get their way. There is a chance, albeit a   
very remote one, that they could get the council to name a different heir."   
Fonaho said.  
"And I thought our problems were over when these Darklings were defeated."   
Azusa said.  
A holographic image appeared in the middle of the room and the face of   
Admiral Shakar appeared. The expression on his face was enough to make the   
hairs on the back of Fonaho's head raise.  
"I am sorry to interrupt your private time together, your majesties, but   
we have just received a transmission from the Tsunami." Shakar said.  
"Sasami. Where is she? She just ran off without telling anyone." Misaki   
asked.  
"She went to the planet Earth. Princess Aeka has been rescued, but now   
there is very grave news." Shakar told them.  
"What now?" Azusa asked in a exasperated tone.  
"It appears that the Darklings have resurrected a being that Lord Orrin   
calls the Dark One. It is a thousand times more powerful than a regular   
Darkling. The creature opened a rift to another universe in space and called   
forth a fleet of ships that is one hundred times larger than the initial   
invasion force they used on us earlier. Worst yet, that force is on a direct   
course for Jurai." The admiral told them.  
"Declare a level 1 alert to all stations. I'll meet you in the command   
center in one hour." Fonaho ordered.  
"Yes, milady." Admiral Shakar said before signing off.  
"It looks like this is not over quite yet." Said the Emperor.  
"I only wish we knew where Tenchi went to. He disappeared all of a sudden   
and we haven't seen him since he woke from his coma." Misaki said.  
"I have a feeling we will see him soon." Said Fonaho.  
  
The Tsunami was not know as the most powerful of all ships for nothing,   
and its raw speed was one of its assets. The vessel easily overtook the   
Darkling forces and arrived in Jurai space an hour and a half ahead of them.   
The ship materialized in the middle of the largest mobilization of Juraian   
starships in the history of the empire. Thousands of ships of all shapes and   
sizes were everywhere. Some were the first generation ships that were extremely   
powerful, and others were different generations that were not as strong. In   
total there was half a million ships surrounding the homeworld of the Juraian   
Empire.  
"So many ships. I've never seen the entire fleet in one place before."   
Aeka said in awe.  
"This brings back a lot of really bad memories." Orrin said.  
"Isn't that field thingy that's supposed to keep them from suppressing   
magic still working?" Ryoko asked.  
"It is, but against a force the size of the one that is coming it may not   
make a difference." Orrin told her.  
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Aeka asked with a desperate look on her   
face.  
Tenchi pulled his two wives into his arms and they accepted his embrace   
with all the love in their hearts. They could feel Tenchi's feeling for them   
wash over them through the link, but also at the same time they felt something   
different as well. It as an alien feeling they never sensed before, but it was   
not frightening or threatening in any way.  
"Tenchi?" said Ryoko as she tried to sense what this strange sensation   
might be.  
"Don't be afraid. I'm the same Tenchi you know and love, but I am also   
different in ways you couldn't even begin to understand right now." He told   
them.  
"What happened to you?" Aeka asked.  
"The sleeper has awakened." He replied.  
  
Sasami patched a communication link with the royal palace. Fonaho had   
already headed for the command center deep underneath the palace, but Misaki was   
still with Azusa when Sasami's transmission was received. The Emperor and   
Empress were pleased to see Tenchi alive and well, and were also very happy to   
see Aeka safe. They were sympathetic when they learned what happened to Kryton.  
"He can be repaired. Just reactivate his system core and he will   
regenerate." Orrin explained.  
"That is good." Misaki said with some relief. The ship had been   
instrumental in saving the planet.  
"What is this Dark One?" Azusa asked.  
"He is the source of the Darkling race. The Elo'Quin destroyed his   
original body millions of years ago. His essence is immortal, and to be   
resurrected he needs a host that was as powerful as his original body. Kagato   
was a suitable host, and thus the Regis was grooming him for that purpose."   
Orrin explained.  
"What does that do to Kagato?" Misaki asked.  
"The man who was Kagato is gone forever. When the Dark One takes over a   
host the previous mind and living essence are absorbed. Kagato no longer does   
and no longer will ever exist again." Orrin told her.  
"Good riddance." Said Ryoko.  
"The force that is coming is made up several thousand Darkling vessels of   
a more powerful class ship. Also, they have a hive ship with them. It is a   
carrier for ships, a mobile base for hundreds of thousands of Darkling troops, a   
flying fortress with the most powerful weapons in the Darkling fleet, and it can   
even open portals to other dimensions." Orrin told them.  
"Sweet Tsunami." Misaki gasped.  
"I want the truth. Can our forces stand a chance against a force of that   
magnitude?" Azusa asked.  
"All I can tell you Emperor is what I know from experience. We faced a   
force of this strength once before in my universe. When the battle was over we   
won, but there was a terrible cost. The Earth was devastated, many races in the   
galaxy were wiped out, and more than half of our entire fleet was left in ruins.   
The death toll was unimaginable. It took an immense effort to keep civilization   
together so we could recover from the disaster. Even four hundred years after   
it was over we were still feeling the after effects of that battle." Orrin told   
him.  
Azusa had heard Orrin's explanation of the Great War with the Darkness   
before. That was before he knew what they were really like, and just how   
powerful the creatures really were. Now, after hearing the tale told again he   
could not say anything. Azusa for the first time in his career as Emperor of   
Jurai was afraid this could be the last day of the Juraian Empire. He looked   
at Orrin in the holographic display and asked, "Is there anything that we can   
do?"  
"Yes. Pray."  
  
Sasami positioned the Tsunami in among the fleet of Jurai to prepare for   
the desperate battle ahead. She went to the planet and dropped Orrin, Washu,   
Darius, Yuko, and Katsuhito off at the palace before taking up this position.   
Aeka, Tenchi, and Ryoko decided to stay. The trio was standing on the bridge of   
Ryo-Ohki, which hung in space next to the Tsunami. The countdown to the arrival   
of the Darkling force had started. It was now fifteen minutes before their   
arrival.  
"Show no mercy Ryo-Ohki. These things are inhuman monsters so give them   
all you've got." Ryoko told the Cabbit ship.  
"Miya, miya miya miya!" Ryo-Ohki meowed in reply.  
"Will she be able to fight them and make a difference?" Aeka asked.  
"With all of my gems, Ryo-Ohki is now as powerful as the Tsunami." Ryoko   
told her.  
Tenchi touched the two on the shoulder with loving hands and said, "No   
matter what happens, I don't want either of you coming after me."  
"What do you mean?" Aeka asked. Ryoko looked back at Tenchi and thought   
the same thing instead of saying it out loud.  
"Just promise me you won't try and follow me. There is something I must   
do when the Darkness arrives." He told them.  
Ryoko turned and grabbed Tenchi by the shoulders. "What is going on?   
What has happened to you?" she asked as tears started to fall down her face.  
Tenchi closed his eyes for a moment. He could feel Ryoko's fear. Not   
fear of him, but fear for him. He looked into her eyes, and then reached deep   
into the minds of Aeka and Ryoko. The girls gasped, the sensation this caused   
was close to that of an orgasm for a split second.  
"This." Tenchi just said and suddenly a flurry of images raced through   
their minds. When it was over the two staggered for a few seconds as if the   
experience was physically tiring to them. The implications of what they just   
saw in their minds were almost too much for them to comprehend.  
"My god. Tenchi." Ryoko said quietly. Aeka could not say a word.  
"I am still Tenchi. I love the both of you very much. I want to spend   
the rest of my life with the both of you. But, at the same time I am not the   
man I once was. I don't even fully understand the change inside of me, but I   
know that this is what I was born for. This is my destiny." He told them.  
The two embraced him tightly and exchanged loving kisses with him. He   
asked them again, "Please, do you promise not to follow me?" They nodded this   
time and he knew through the link that they were telling the truth. He held   
them tighter and the love they felt for one another was soothing to their   
troubled minds. Ryo-Ohki's frantic meowing brought the three back to reality.  
"They're here." Ryoko said.  
  
In the subterranean command center on Jurai, on the bridge of every ship   
in the fleet, and even on the Tsunami warning klaxons sounded. Sensors detected   
a massive distortion of subspace directly ahead of the fleet. The Juraian ships   
had formed up on top of one another in a huge wall formation. The most powerful   
ships went to the front, and the lesser ships stayed in back. The sky lit up   
with bright white light as the vessels opened their Light Hawk Wings. The   
Tsunami and Ryo-Ohki did the same, with the Tsunami forming ten, and Ryo-Ohki   
forming six. As the last ship finished summoning their protective shields a   
mammoth spatial anomaly formed in front of the fleet. Thousands of Darkling   
ships of a class never before seen by Juraians emerged from the maw of the   
anomaly. Then, behind them, slowly emerged the gargantuan hive ship. The   
vessel was larger than the Xevius had been, and was more powerful as well. It   
took some time for the massive vessel to fully emerge from the anomaly and   
several thousand more ships arrived after it. When the subspace portal finally   
closed there was a cloud of death surrounding the hive ship consisting of eight   
hundred thousand ships.  
"Holy shit." Ryoko said slowly.  
  
Fonaho and Admiral Shakar looked at the image of the Darkling force on a   
holographic display. Azusa and Misaki soon arrived in time to see the subspace   
portal close. The official count of enemy ships appeared on the screen.  
"Eight hundred thousand. Dear Tsunami, how are we going to survive this   
day?" the Emperor said. It was more a statement than a question.  
"All ships, engage the enemy! Fire at will!" Fonaho ordered.  
The skies above Jurai lit up with the light of hundreds of thousands of   
energy beams. High-resolution death was dealt back and forth between the two   
massive fleets. Huge blossoming explosions on both sides bore testament to the   
massive power that was being called forth. The COM channels were filled with   
thousands of people barking orders or screaming out the last words they would   
ever speak again. When a huge hole in the massive wall of ships was opened up   
more ships would fly in to take their place and continue firing. Sasami could   
feel and hear the cries of her children, the space trees, as they died. Tears   
welled up in her eyes as she heard them, but she also knew that they we   
willingly giving their lives so that millions more could live on. Ryo-Ohki and   
the Tsunami weaved in and out among the maelstrom of energy blasts and added   
their own to the fray. Ryoko screamed a loud battle cry as she dove the Cabbit   
ship toward one Darkling vessel after another opening up with every weapon the   
ship had. Ryo-Ohki's awesome power was more than enough to pierce the shields   
of the enemy ships and send them to oblivion. The Tsunami did the same, but   
there were so many ships that even their best efforts had little effect.  
  
On Jurai Washu and Orrin watched the massive battle in a holographic   
screen. They were in a large room main for entertaining guests of the royal   
family. The furniture was ornate and comfortable, but despite the lavish   
surrounds the two did not feel very good about being there.  
"I should be up there." Orrin said.  
"In what, the Kryton isn't going anywhere right now." Washu told him.  
"I don't really need a ship." He said. Washu understood this. Orrin's   
powers were awesome when he called forth its full strength. The only thing was   
he could only use to as long as his strength held out. Immediately, Orrin   
thought of something.  
"Lend me your holographic computer for minute." He said and Washu summoned   
it for him. Orrin started typing rapidly at the keyboard. Washu came behind   
him and looked at his work over his shoulder. When she saw what he was doing   
she smiled and kissed him on the cheek.  
"You are one really devious bastard, aren't you?" she said.  
A face appeared in a window on the computer. It appeared human, but the   
life form reading in the instruments of Washu's advanced technology was able to   
detect that the person was Satari. "Lord Orrin, what a surprise." The man said.  
"Jorjan, listen I need a huge favor." Orrin said.  
"Milord, there is nothing that anyone in this universe would not do for   
you." The man said with a smile.  
  
In space the battle raged on. Hundreds of ships fell on both sides of the   
fight, but it appeared that the Juraians were making a different. That   
unfortunately, to their sorrow, was only an illusion. The hive ship began to   
open up with its four primary cannons. The blasts were a mile wide and they   
incinerated hundreds of ships at a time. Their firing rate was slow however.  
"All vessels begin evasive maneuvers. Don't let those guns lock onto   
you." Admiral Shakar ordered.  
"Those things will reduce the fleet to nothing in no time." Fonaho said.  
A technician at one of the stations suddenly turned around from her post   
and shouted, "Registering multiple spatial rifts forming behind the hive ship!"  
"What?" Shakar, Fonaho, and Azusa all shouted at once.  
In space dozens of rifts opened up and began to disgorge thousands of   
Darkling ships. "We now register one million enemy ships in Juraian space@!"   
the technician proclaimed.  
"One million ships. How can we ever survive a force of that magnitude?"   
Fonaho said and Azusa wrapped his arms around her as best he could from his   
hover chair.  
  
Onboard Ryo-Ohki, Tenchi and the girls witnessed the arrival of the   
additional ships. This did not frighten them so much as it pissed them off.   
"Damn those bastards!" Ryoko shouted with clenched fists. She issued a loud   
battle cry and sent Ryo-Ohki charging into the mass of new arrivals with weapons   
blazing. A few of the new ships were felled by Ryo-Ohki's awesome firepower.  
"Ryoko, get me close to the hive ship. It is time." Tenchi said.  
"Tenchi." Said Aeka.  
"Remember your promise." He told both of them.  
"Come back to us." Aeka told him.  
Ryoko guided Ryo-Ohki through the mass of fighting ships. The Juraian   
ships now mixed it up among Darkling ships to take the battle to them. Since   
then the hive ship did not fire its four large guns or it would destroy its own   
vessels. Soon the Ryo-Ohki was skimming the surface of the massive hive ship.  
"I love you." Tenchi said before vanishing.  
"We love you too." Aeka and Ryoko both said as they watched Tenchi   
dematerialize.  
  
With the addition of more vessels the Darklings were starting to win the   
fight again. The larger first generation vessels of the Juraian fleet had a   
better time of it, but the smaller less powerful consecutive generation ships   
wee falling to the wayside. The tide of the battle had quickly shifted in favor   
of the Darkness. Ryoko brought Ryo-Ohki back into the battle. The Cabbit ship   
meowed defiantly as she dove into a group of enemy ships and cut loose with   
everything she had.  
"We have new signals. More anomalies forming all over the place!" the   
technician in the command center cried out.  
The Emperor's two wives were clutching to Azusa now. Terror gripped the   
two now. The battle in space was nearing Jurai, and soon the massive hive ship   
would be in range of the planet. The four beam cannons would make short work of   
the orbital defenses surrounding the planet. Not to mention what they would do   
to major population centers.  
"Detecting one hundred rifts forming near Jurai!" the tech shouted.  
  
In space the spatial rifts formed. Ryoko and Aeka watched in desperation   
as the maw of hundreds appeared in space surrounding the planet. It looked like   
all was lost for the Juraian Empire. What emerged from the rifts were not   
Darkling ships however. Hundred of thousands of vessels of all shapes and sizes   
arrived. The ships had the same alien organic appearance that Kryton possessed.   
Several large ships of the line emerged as well, and one of them was massive.  
A voice came over the COM channels that Juraians were using.  
"This is the United Galactic Alliance Battle Cruiser Antares, Grand   
Admiral Jorjan Holkoris speaking. All carriers deploy fighters and engage   
targets at will. Happy hunting boys!"  
Thousands of small fighters were suddenly disgorged from the larger ships   
that arrived. Like an angry cloud of hornets, the fighters ranged in on the   
Darkling fleet and dealt out their own brand of justice. Among the fighters   
were heavier gun ships that were literally flying arsenals. This force alone   
began to turn the tide of the battle once again.  
"All battleships and battle cruisers concentrate firepower on that hive   
ship. Don't let it get anywhere near the planet." Grand Admiral Jorjan ordered.  
  
Everyone in the command center watched in total surprise as the new   
arrivals suddenly began to join the fight, on their side. The power of these   
newcomers was tremendous. That was evident in how quickly the fighters, gun   
ships, and destroyers were reducing the numbers in the enemy fleet. The damage   
being taken by the gargantuan hive ship was unimaginable.  
"The United Galactic Alliance. Those are Lord Orrin's people." Fonaho   
said.  
"He must have called for help somehow." Misaki said.  
  
In the palace Washu sat straddled on Orrin's lap and covered his face with   
a flurry of kisses. "I love you! I love you! I love you!" she shouted. Orrin   
accepted about three dozen kisses before he slowly lifted her up, and said, "I'd   
better get up there. The fleet of powerful, but the Dark One is stronger."  
Washu nodded and gave him one last kiss. Orrin called up a display of the   
battle in space and concentrated on the image. He used his line of sight   
teleportation ability and suddenly dematerialized and rematerialized out in   
space. Washu sat and watched as a glowing aura surrounded Orrin's body and he   
flew streaking through space. As he went he launched balls of energy at passing   
enemy ships. The impacts were immense enough to thoroughly whole the ships he   
was aiming at.  
  
On the cavernous command deck of the Antares, Jorjan watched the battle   
unfold from a complex array of holographic displays. Tactical data from every   
ship in the fleet including the fighters poured into this command center. One   
display focused in on a small form moving in and out among the enemy ships.   
This tiny object was dealing out more destruction than any of the ships of the   
fleet. "I wondered where he might be." Jorjan said as he watched his old friend   
cut a swath of devastation through the Darkling fleet.  
"Why did Lord Orrin leave to come to his universe, anyway?" another person   
asked. He was Carl Reece, captain of the Antares and a resident of planet   
Earth. He, Jorjan and Orrin had gotten to know one another very well before   
Orrin left to come to this universe. Jorjan had known Orrin the longest. Being   
a Satari he possessed the long lifespan of the species. He and Orrin had   
traveled the stars together piecing the jigsaw puzzle of clues left behind by   
the Elo'Quin in order to find the Star Gem Sword. Afterwards, they fought in   
the Great War together against the Darkness.  
"A woman, of course." Jorjan said with a smile.  
"Yea, that is the Orrin we know and love alright." Captain Reece said.  
  
The interior of the hive ship was dark and threatening. The atmosphere   
was damp leaving the living, organic walls covered in moisture. A thick white   
mist covered the floor as if somebody had turned on a smoke machine and left it   
running. Strange alien sounds issued from every direction either by the bizarre   
organic technology that ran the ship or from the thousands of Darkling that made   
up the crew. The crew mostly deserted the part of the ship that Tenchi found   
himself in. This section was deep inside the ship and thus did not need any   
special protection. That did not mean there weren't any guards.  
Tenchi rounded a blind corner and found himself face to face with four   
Darklings. They charged their powers to strike him down quickly. They didn't   
have a chance. Tenchi raised one hand and unleashed a maelstrom of energy that   
obliterated them in seconds. Once the dust settled the continued on his way as   
if nothing happened at all. He came to a massive set of blast doors. He   
prepared to charge up for a strike when the doors suddenly began to open on   
their own. Once there was an opening large enough for him to walked through   
Tenchi moved. He found himself a cavernous chamber that so large you could not   
see the ceiling or the walls. The floor was a huge walkway that appeared to be   
suspended in the air. At the far end of the enormous chamber was a huge high   
backed throne. Seated in that throne was the creature in Kagato's body, the   
Dark One.  
"Impressive. So you are the Champion of Light in this universe." The   
Kagato thing said in an inhuman voice.  
"I have come to warn you to leave Jurai alone or pay the price." Tenchi   
said.  
The thing laughed and the sound made the hairs on the back of Tenchi's   
next rise. "You are in no such position to warn me of anything." It said.  
"You're wrong. If you do not heed my warning I will destroy you." Tenchi   
said calmly.  
"Certainly must you must be joking." The creature laughed.  
"Why don't you find out." Tenchi said as he took a fighting stance.  
The thing in Kagato's form stood up and chuckled under its breath. "Why   
not, I haven't had a good battle in a million years, and your essence will help   
to fuel the destruction of these pathetic Juraians."  
The Dark One immediately transformed into its monstrous form. It was the   
same as the thing Tenchi remembered from the scene he watched on Eli Prime as it   
cut a swath of destruction through the capital city.  
"I will enjoy destroying you. And, your wives, ah, I see. I can sense   
your link with them now. I will enjoy pleasuring myself with them before I kill   
them. Especially the one named, Ryoko. She is most pleasant to the eyes.   
Maybe I'll make her a Regis so I can have her whenever I want, and however I   
want." The thing said imperiously.  
Tenchi in a fit of sudden rage launched a burst of massive energy. It   
splashed against the Dark One but did not appear to do any damage at all.  
"I certainly hope that isn't all you have. I'd like this to be at least   
some of a challenge." It said.  
The Dark One let loose with a maelstrom of power it had not released in a   
long time. Tenchi erected a shield around himself and deflected the attack.  
"Very good!" the beast shouted.  
"This is you last warning. Heed it or die!" Tenchi shouted.  
The monster's response was a more massive barrage of energy. Tenchi   
deflected it with ease. This appeared to enrage the creature that made it   
unleash and even stronger attack.  
"Why won't you die?" It cried, as its last attack had no effect.  
Tenchi prepared to attack, but ended up putting up a new defense as the   
Dark One let loose with a strike stronger than it had ever unleashed before.  
  
"Admiral, we're detecting an immense surge of energy inside the hive   
ship." Said a technician on the command deck of the Antares.  
Jorjan and Captain Reece turned and looked at the data display. "We   
didn't hit the core did we?" Captain Reece asked.  
"Negative." The tech replied.  
"Whatever it is it's tearing that thing apart from the inside. Move the   
fleet away from the hive ship and warn the Juraians to do the same." Jorjan   
ordered.  
  
The attacking Juraian and UGA ships suddenly broke ranks and made a run   
for it. Ryoko and Sasami followed each other after receiving the warning. The   
two girls were fearful for Tenchi, but something told them he was going to be   
alright. Suddenly, the great Darkling hive ship erupted in a massive explosion   
that incinerated nearly all of the other Darkling vessels around it. The   
shockwave hit the fleet and personnel all over were thrown from their stations   
by the force. Ryoko managed to maintain control of Ryo-Ohki through it all and   
looked back at the remains of the hive ship. All that was left was a giant   
expanding cloud of gasses and debris.  
"Tenchi."  
  
A whirlwind of energy, gasses and debris swirled around the combatants as   
the hive ship exploded around them. The Dark One was unfazed by the blast, and   
Tenchi did not seen to be effected either. The storm settled into a nebula like   
cloud of gas and free floating debris.  
"My turn." Said Tenchi.  
Three Wings of the Light Hawk materialized in front of Tenchi, but they   
were unlike any Light Hawk Wings ever seen. Instead of bluish white these   
appeared to be red. Two of the wings merged with him to form the holy armor,   
and the third went into his hand to become the magical Light Hawk Sword, but   
this time the blade was bright red.  
"This power, I have never sensed anything like it. What is this power?"   
the Dark One yelled in surprise.  
  
Aeka and Ryoko could see through the expanding dust cloud now and saw   
Tenchi and the monstrous Dark One facing off against one another. They   
witnessed Tenchi summoning the power of the Light Hawk Wings, but their   
different appearance was a shock to them.  
"What kind of Light Hawk Wings are those?" Aeka asked.  
  
On Jurai in the command center the royals watch in fascination as Tenchi   
deployed with looked like a new kind of power, but Washu in another part of the   
palace had a very different reaction.  
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Washu cried.  
"What is it?" Orrin asked with concern.  
"It's the Crimson Light Hawk Wings! Oh god! Tenchi what has become of   
you?" Washu shouted and put her face into her hands.  
"What is it?" Orrin asked again, except louder this time.  
"You don't understand. No one god or goddess can summon the Crimson Light   
Hawk Wings. It takes dozens together to summon just one by combining their   
powers together! The Light Hawk Wings have the power of material conversion,   
but these, these can mold and shape the very fabric of reality itself as if it   
were putty!" she cried.  
  
The Dark One charged Tenchi unleashing every once of power it had. To its   
horror the energy it was releasing was absorbed into Tenchi's sword.  
"It is not possible!" It cried.  
The thing attacked again and this time raced towards Tenchi at immense   
speed. Tenchi let out a loud battle cry and raised the Crimson Light Hawk   
Sword. A massive burst of energy and light splashed out into space from the   
point of impact. The blast was visible from the daylight surface of Jurai. On   
the command deck of the Antares the amount of power let loose was too much for   
their instruments to measure, and it exceeded the capabilities of Washu's   
instruments to fully read. A loud mournfully cry, in the voice of the Dark One,   
issued in everyone's mind at once. "NNNNNNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!!!"  
  
Tired and battered, the Ryo-Ohki teleported her passengers to the surface   
of planet Jurai. They were in a large open field somewhere in the middle of a   
forest. She transformed to Cabbit form and landed with a thud in the grass.   
Ryoko ran up and scooped her up into her arms and nuzzled the tired little   
creature.  
"You did really good up there, Ryo-Ohki." Ryoko told the little creature.  
"Miya." The Cabbit meowed as her eyes whirled around dizzily before it   
collapsed into sleep.  
"Where is Tenchi?" Aeka asked. She looked up into the sky for any sign of   
any other ship.  
Ryoko looked up into the sky and gasped as a red light streaked through   
the sky. The light flew over the field and plowed into the ground. Energy   
splashed along the ground in all directions. Wherever the energy touched the   
ground a myriad of brightly colored flowers suddenly sprang to life. Soon the   
entire field was covered with rightly colored blossoms. Once the red energy   
dissipated the familiar form of Tenchi was revealed.  
"Tenchi!" the girls cried and they ran to him with their arms   
outstretched. Tenchi ran to them and grabbed both women up in his arms. They   
kissed him all over his face, and it their excitement they did not realize that   
Tenchi and two of them were flying off the ground.  
"Tenchi?" Ryoko said.  
"I'm tired. Lets go home." He said. The girls just hung onto him   
lovingly as they floated through the sky.  
  
=============================  
TO BE CONTINUED...  
  
NEXT TIME...  
CAHPTER FOUR: RETURN OF THE LIGHT  
  
The battle with the Ultimate Evil, the Dark One, is finally over. It is a time   
to start picking up the pieces, sweep up the ashes, and rebuild what has been   
destroyed. The conclusion to "The Dark Lord of Jurai", but the story is only   
just beginning... 


	5. The Dark Lord of Jurai - Episode 3: Chap...

LEGAL DISCLIMER: Tenchi Muyo is the register copyright and trademark of AIC and   
Pioneer. All Rights Reserved. This work of fiction is written for   
entertainment purposes only and not for profit.  
=============================  
NOTES: This is it! The end of the saga, after two long years it has finally   
come down to this. Please put on some of the songs I uploaded to the site and   
read this final chapter. But, remember there are many sequels to come so stay   
tuned folks. I've taken a different approach with this one. I hope you like   
it.  
=============================  
THE DARK LORD OF JURAI  
EPISODE THREE - NO NEED FOR AN APPOCALYPSE  
By Michael "The-Zorch" Haney  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: RETURN OF THE LIGHT (CONCLUSION OF THE SAGA)   
=============================  
  
Tenchi felt the unmistakable sensation of somebody's tongue in his ear.   
He woke up and turned his head and was face to face with the beautiful crimson   
eyes of Aeka. He had been expecting it to be Ryoko doing something so   
suggestive to him. Noticing Ryoko was nowhere in the room, he reached out and   
drew her to him. Aeka was completely nude under the covers.  
"You trying to tell me something, Princess." He said.  
An hour later the bed was a wreck with the pillows in different places   
around the room, the sheets askew, and one of the night stands knocked over.   
They started a shower together, which turned into more kissing, which turned   
into making love for a second time that day. When they were in the shower the   
maid staff came in and cleaned up the room.  
Fonaho came to get them for breakfast in the main dining hall with the   
rest of the family. The Queen of Jurai took them through the lavishly decorated   
halls of the palace that for thousands of years had been the seat of power for   
the greatest benevolent empire in the galaxy. The dining hall was one of the   
grandest rooms in the massive building. It, like the rest of the palace, was in   
the interior of a giant tree. Like all the trees on Jurai, it had intelligence.   
Human intelligence. They were the sons and daughters of Tsunami, the Tree of   
Light, who was now embodied in the breathtakingly beautiful form of Princess   
Sasami. She sat in the dining room about to enjoy a meal that for the first   
time in years she had not made herself. Tenchi and the others felt it was time   
somebody pampered her for once.  
"Here is to Tenchi, may your future be glorious." Azusa said in a toast   
before the main part of breakfast was served.  
"Yes, to Tenchi." Misaki, Empress of Jurai added.  
With breakfast done it was back to work as work goes for the royal family.   
Azusa and his two wives had to attend strategy meetings to discuss the   
rebuilding of Jurai in the aftermath of the war. News services from all over   
the galaxy wanted to interview Tenchi and the others about their involvement in   
the conflict against the Darkness.  
"When I saw that big ship explode it scared the shit out of me." Ryoko   
said to the camera.  
"Try being in the middle of it next time." Tenchi told her.  
Soon after the battle was over it was confirmed that none of the Darkling   
ships survived. So, Orrin's friends from another universe returned home with   
many thanks from the Juraian fleet.  
The final death toll was an astronomical number. Not only the deaths of   
all those who were on the ships destroyed in the fight, but also those on the   
planet itself. Jurai had suffered a massive blow but came out on the winning   
side, barely. The job of picking up the pieces and rebuilding the devastation   
was a logistical nightmare.  
  
The troubles really started when Fonaho returned the next day from a   
meeting with Arch Prelate Annias of the Holy Council. The minute she entered   
the room everyone knew she wasn't in a good mood.  
"They may have the votes to contest the appointment of Tenchi as heir   
unless we can convince the council otherwise." She told them.  
"What is this all about?" Aeka asked.  
"Your old boyfriend Seiryu is unhappy about Tenchi being named heir so he   
went and cried to the Holy Council about it." Said Ryoko.  
"That embarrassment was not my boyfriend!" screamed Aeka.  
"Be good you two." Tenchi told them.  
"It might be a great deal more serious than that. Seiryu is claiming that   
Azusa violated ancient holy ordinances when he declare Tenchi the winner of the   
duel he had with Seiryu." Fonaho added.  
Ryoko jumped up and said, "What! Hey, if that fop couldn't stand the   
water he shouldn't have stood too close to the lake when Mihoshi is around!"  
Tenchi pulled her back down into her seat while trying not to laugh out   
loud. He could remember the day he was supposed to have a duel with the young   
courier over the hand of Aeka, but it turned into a contest to see who could   
survive one of Mihoshi's "landings". Tenchi won while Seiryu ended up being   
washed into the lake.  
"What does that mean?" Tenchi asked.  
"Well, it means that your legitimacy as an heir to the throne is in real   
danger. They can't do anything about your marriage to Aeka because you are   
joined via the Great Bond. And seeing as only the Goddess Tsunami can break   
that they will not likely try to end it." Fonaho said. She looked over at   
Sasami who was now fully assimilated with Tsunami when she mentioned the   
goddess.  
"So, this pink haired homo wants to be Emperor, huh?" Ryoko said in a   
venomous tone. Fonaho shook her head, and Aeka stifled a laugh. "Actually they   
are naming someone else who should be Emperor." Fonaho replied.  
"Who?" asked Aeka.  
"Denario." Fonaho told her. Aeka leaped to her feet with a look of rage   
on her face. "That---that---that demented little shrimp of a man who tried to   
look up my dress long ago!" she cried. She recalled the day she met Denario, a   
small man who's ettchi attitude eclipsed even Noboyuki's. It was at a party   
some time before Ryoko's attack. The man walked with an ornate cane that was   
more for looks than for any real use. When she wasn't looking the man used the   
end of it to lift up the back of her dress. What made it worse was the fact   
that she had chosen to wear a skimpy, frilly pair of panties that day. In the   
end he ended up with an imprint of Aeka's hand on his face, and a furious red   
blush on hers. She was so embraced she couldn't show her face in the royal   
courts for days without hearing people talk about the incident.  
"He is highly respected by the branch families and holds a high position   
in the Ministry of the Interior." Said Misaki.  
"So, a pervert is a pervert. How could they possibly want a man like that   
on the throne of Jurai?" Aeka asked.  
"He's a pervert with connections, that's why." Tenchi said.  
"Tenchi you must face these hooligans at the session of the Holy Council   
tomorrow." Aeka said.  
"There could be a way out of this. If the Holy Council agrees to let   
Tenchi and Seiryu duel again." Said Fonaho.  
"Excuse me, but do you remember what Tenchi did in a fight the other day?   
Seiryu would be insane to fight him now." Ryoko told her.  
"I'll have to go over the law books tonight, but I might be able to find   
something we can use to stop this." Fonaho explained.  
"In the meantime lets all get some rest. Tomorrow will be a very long   
day." Said the Emperor.  
They all turned in early, all except for Fonaho who went straight for the   
palace library. She began to pour over ancient tombs, scrolls, and data   
recordings looking for legal ammunition to assist Tenchi at the Holy Council   
tomorrow. By morning she had gathered what she could and met the others as they   
prepared to leave for the council hall.  
  
The hall of the Holy Council of Jurai had miraculously survived the   
fighting in the capital city. It was a massive and imposing structure made of   
the same super-dense wood that most of the structures on Jurai were made from.   
The hall was essentially an enormous dome with four towers on opposite sides of   
one another. The towers were more for decoration than anything, but a few of   
the councilmen had offices in them, and one was the living quarters for the Arch   
Prelate himself. Arch Prelate Annias was an ancient man. He was older than   
Azusa and had seen many generations of Emperors rule over Jurai in its past. He   
attributed his extremely long life, long by Juraian terms, to good living and a   
life devoted to Tsunami.  
The dome housed the council chamber, a huge arena were the members of the   
holy council sat in power over planet Jurai. Their power was second only to the   
Emperor himself, but on occasion they have been know to supercede the commands   
of the Emperor. The councilmen were the masters of the law, they knew the law   
inside and out. It was their job to know the law and to know the scriptures of   
Tsunami on which many of those laws were written.  
A gallery for commoners was mounted high up in the council chamber, and   
the royal family had a section that was closer to the councilmen themselves.   
The floor, as it was called, was a small circular area at the bottom of the huge   
chamber where people who came before the council spoke. Fonaho was there with   
Tenchi, Aeka, and Ryoko. On the other side stood Seiryu with Denario, and one   
other person.  
"Who is that?" Ryoko asked looking at the person who stood with Seiryu and   
Denario.  
"That is Lenox. He is from Seiryu's bloodline and he is a master of the   
law. This will not be an easy fight." Fonaho warned them.  
"We have confidence in your abilities, Fonaho." Aeka told her.  
"Thank you."  
The Arch Prelate took his seat and banged his gavel. This indicated the   
council was starting its session. The councilmen all dressed in white priest   
robes entered the chamber. There was absolute silence in the room as the   
councilmen arrived. It was considered a sign of respect that you did not speak   
until the councilmen were seated.  
The gavel banged again after the councilmen took their seats.  
"In this year of our Lady Tsunami, sixty three thousand, nine hundred and   
three this session of the holy council is called to order." Announced the Arch   
Prelate. He banged the gavel again, and Lenox approached the floor.  
"We will begin our session by hearing the claims of the royal branch   
family of Yolnaro. The grievance is filed under holy ordinance three five seven   
two. The Yolnaro branch family claims that the Emperor of Jurai illegally   
declared Prince Tenchi Masaki the winner of a duel with Seiryu Yolnaro. We will   
begin hearing the evidence of this case." Arch Prelate Annias announced.  
Lenox walked up to a podium where he could speak. In order that she may   
make counter actions to what Lenox says, Fonaho walked up to an adjacent podium.  
"Honored councilmen of the Holy Council. A great injustice had been   
inflicted upon the people of Jurai and Yolnaro branch family by the actions of   
Emperor Azusa Jurai. Five years prior the royal family went on a journey to the   
planet Earth were Princess Aeka and Princess Sasami were in residence at the   
home of Prince Yosho. There it was discovered that Prince Yosho had an heir by   
the name of Tenchi Masaki. This man is in these chambers right now. During   
that time, the Emperor of Jurai established under the holy laws of Jurai a duel   
between Prince Tenchi Masaki and Seiryu Yolnaro for the hand of Princess Aeka   
Jurai in marriage." Lenox stated. He waited for what he said to get around the   
room before he continued.  
"An interfering factor came during the beginning of the duel that resulted   
in Seiryu being severely injured. The emperor then declared Prince Tenchi the   
winner of the duel. But that is not all. The emperor also later made this same   
person as his heir to the throne. Also, it has come to our attention that Lady   
Aeka and Lord Tenchi are now married. This is totally unacceptable. Gentlemen   
of the council, it is clear that Seiryu is the rightful winner of the duel. He   
has declared that he no longer seeks the throne of Jurai but that Denario, a   
respected and powerful man who is well versed in the politics of planet Jurai   
should be the new heir. We implore the council to correct this terrible error   
and give Jurai its rightful heir. Thank you."  
Annias banged the gavel. "We will now hear in defense the Lady Fonaho,   
Queen of Jurai." He said.  
"Gentlemen of the Holy Council of Jurai. I am honored to speak before you   
in defense of a man who is not only the rightful heir to the throne of Jurai,   
but is the only one who is truly suited for the coveted position. Lord Tenchi   
Masaki has been instrumental in stopping the most dangerous criminal in the   
history of the galaxy and saving the lives of Princess Aeka and Sasami in the   
process. In our most recent grievous events he has been instrumental in the   
saving of our entire way of life from destruction. The only crime committed   
here, honored councilmen, is the selfish actions of the Yolnaro branch family   
which come at a time when our world is just a major catastrophe." Fonaho said.   
She waited for moment and then continued. "Honored Lenox Yolnaro also contests   
the marriage of Lord Tenchi Masaki and Lady Aeka Jurai under the word of the   
law. But I contest this and ask it not be considered by this council by virtue   
of provision six five one three."  
"This is highly irregular to include a rebuttal in an opening statement   
Lady Fonaho." Said the Arch Prelate.  
"It is not stated in the law that it is now allowed." One of the   
councilmen said.  
"Provision six five one three pertains to the Great Bond." Said the Arch   
Prelate.  
"Yes, your excellency." Fonaho replied.  
"Are you stating before this council that Lady Aeka and Lord Tenchi are   
bound by the holy bonds of the Great Bond?" asked a councilman who was almost as   
ancient as Annias.  
"I am honored councilmen." She replied. A soft murmur went up through the   
entire chamber. Seiryu walked up behind Lenox and seemed to whisper something   
into his ear.  
"The provisions of this ordinance requires that proof of the Great Bond be   
presented." Said Lenox.  
"What happens now?" Tenchi asked Aeka quietly.  
"They will now bring the Holy Staff before us. It is said that those who   
are in the Great Bond will glow when they touch it. The staff was made from the   
branches of the Tree of Light." Aeka told him.  
"What if they find out I am in the bond too? Some of the looks I'm   
getting from people in here are as cold as ice." Ryoko asked in a whisper.  
"We will deal with that if it becomes an issue." Said Aeka.  
A group of guards soon arrived on the floor baring a large box. They sat   
it down in front of the podium and stepped back. Annias himself came down from   
this seat and walked slowly the large box. With hands knurled from old age, he   
opened the top of the box and reached inside. He withdrew a branch of a tree   
that despite being severed from the trunk still grew fresh green leaves and   
blossoming flowers. The ancient Arch Prelate walked past the podiums and stood   
before Tenchi.  
"If you be in the holy Great Bond then let the light of Tsunami's blessing   
shine upon you." Annias said. With one hand he reached out for Tenchi's left   
hand and placed it on to the branch. Immediately a soft white aura began to   
glow around Tenchi. The glow started to form around Aeka and the audience in   
the chamber made awed sounds. However, when Ryoko began to glow there were low   
murmurs in the chamber and the sounds of shuffling feet.  
"The holy light of Tsunami shines upon thee. The Great Bond is true, for   
it can only be formed with the blessing of our lady Tsunami." The Arch Prelate   
proclaimed.  
Annias returned the branch to its protective case and walked back to his   
seat with the rest of the councilmen. The four guards walked up and carried   
their precious cargo back into the deep recesses of the council hall.  
"The request to deny the contest of marriage between Lady Aeka and Lord   
Tenchi is accepted by this council. Proof of the Great Bond has been given. It   
cannot be contested under the law. To do so is a sacrilege." Annias announced.  
"Thank you most wise and honored councilmen." Fonaho said. "I have no   
further statements."  
"Then this concludes the opening statements. The Witness and Rebuttal   
segment of this session will now begin. Honor judicator of the law Lenox   
Yolnaro will begin first followed by Lady Fonaho. During the rebuttal segment   
the speaker, being Lenox in the stage, will be the only one allowed to address   
the council. Lady Fonaho will be allowed to speak only when contesting   
statements made by Lenox Yolnaro or quoting the word of the law." Annias   
declared.  
  
"Honored Council I call Seiryu Yolnaro as my first witness." Lenox said.   
Seiryu shot Aeka a quick glance and received one of ice from the Princess.  
Annias issued an oath to Seiryu that he swore to tell the truth to the   
council or be subject to the punishment of the law. Seiryu agreed but looked   
over at Lenox nervously before doing so.  
"Seiryu Yolnaro, what occurred the day you and the Emperor of Jurai   
arrived on the planet Earth?" Lenox asked.  
"Princess Aeka and Princess Sasami refused to come home with him." Seiryu   
said.  
"For what reason would the Princesses willfully disobey the Emperor of   
Jurai?" Lenox asked.  
"I actually have no idea. I don't know what Princess Aeka even saw in   
that boy, and that dreadful house. It was horrible." Seiryu said.  
"The Emperor then issued a challenge to Lord Tenchi to face you in a duel   
for the hand of Lady Aeka?" asked Lenox.  
"Objection! This issues has already been contested." Said Fonaho.  
"You will refrain from this further conjecture." Said one of the   
councilmen to Lenox. The judicator nodded to the council and continued.  
"You were challenged to fight a duel, and did you actually fight Lord   
Tenchi Masaki?" Lenox asked.  
"No. We were about to but then there was this loud whoosh and a huge wall   
of water suddenly hit me. Took hours to dry out my clothes. Do you know how   
badly Altarian silk stains when it gets wet?" said Seiryu.  
"So your saying there was no fight?" Lenox asked.  
"Point of law. There is nothing in the law that states a duel must be a   
fight." Said Fonaho.  
"The law makes no distinction as to what constitutes a duel. This is   
true." Said Annias.  
"Therefore, Lord Tenchi and Seiryu did have a duel. I use historical   
references here. I the past duels have been tests of strength, intelligence,   
and on occasions they have been battles." Fonaho added.  
"On what grounds do you claim a duel took place?" Lenox asked.  
"Seiryu and Tenchi were on the pier together when Mihoshi's shuttle   
crashed into the lake. While Seiryu was knocked off his feet by the water   
Tenchi was unscathed. Since the law does not require a duel to be a battle it   
is clear that a duel of strength and dexterity took place with Tenchi as the   
victor." Said Fonaho.  
"Damn, she's good." Whispered Ryoko.  
"Fonaho was a judicator for the throne for many years before becoming the   
Minister of Defense." Said Aeka.  
"Gentlemen of the council this accident cannot possibly be conceived as an   
actual duel." Said Lenox.  
"Though the situation is sketchy at best, the law makes no distinction as   
to what constitutes a duel. As to the point of law it was upheld." Said one of   
the councilmen. "This councilman seconds this, a test of strength indeed took   
place. Though the law does not specify what constitutes a duel, it does require   
those who are in a duel be prepared for changes in the situation of the duel.   
This was made so that no duel could be contested as being unfair." Said another.  
Seiryu, Denario, and Lenox looked as if someone had suddenly shattered   
their world to pieces. "There was no transgression of the law." Said Annias.  
"As to the appointment of Lord Tenchi as heir to the throne the Emperor of   
Jurai did transgress the law. The throne must go to the next heir in line and   
that heir is Prince Yosho." Said a councilman.  
Katsuhito stood up from where he was seated and said, "My renouncing of my   
claim to the throne of Jurai is on record."  
"You are not in order, Lord Yosho." Said Annias as he banged his gavel.   
There were shocked murmurs in the chamber after Yosho's statement.  
"Regardless, what he said is true. Lord Yosho has denounced his claim to   
the throne and named Tenchi as his successor thus transferring the position of   
First Prince of Jurai to him." Said Fonaho.  
One of the councilmen had a data pad and passed it to Annias. "The   
avocation of the position of First Princes to Lord Tenchi is in the royal   
records. There has been no transgression of the holy law." Annias announced.  
"Councilmen, Denario Yolnaro is a respected man in the Ministry of the   
Interior. He has served the people of Jurai for many generations. He is well   
versed in the law. Lord Tenchi was not born on Jurai and knows nothing of our   
culture, our laws, our customs, or even of what it is to be a member of the   
royal family of Jurai." Said Lenox.  
"Advanced knowledge of these things are not a requirement of the heir to   
the throne according to the holy scriptures." Said Fonaho.  
"Your knowledge of the scriptures are clear, Lady Fonaho. You are   
correct." Said Annias.  
"It also says that the Holy Council has the final say concerning the heir   
to the throne if a second party contests that he is not suited for the position.   
That had been done here today." Said Lenox.  
"I am well aware of the honored Denario Yolnaro's illustrious career in   
the service of the Jurai people and his unparalleled knowledge of the law and   
the scripture. These things alone do not make him a better heir to the throne.   
While he had served the people for a very long time, Lord Tenchi has done much   
more in the service of Jurai." Said Fonaho.  
"Explain?" said Annias.  
"Lord Tenchi defeated the dreaded A1 Class Criminal Kagato, thus avenging   
the deaths of thousands of Juraians during the attack on Jurai 700 years ago."   
She said.  
"Objection. It was the Lady Ryoko who attacked Jurai." Lenox objected.  
"Lady Ryoko at the time was a mindless slave of the criminal Kagato and   
incapable of independent thought or action." Fonaho said to counter.  
"The actions of Lady Ryoko have been erased by order of this council under   
the holy ordinance concerning the statue of limitations." Said Annias.  
"Most recently during our darkness hour Lord Tenchi confronted and   
destroyed an evil that threatened to eradicate our people completely. If not   
anything else, these things make Tenchi a proper heir to the throne of Jurai.   
He place his life on the line for our people despite his having no knowledge of   
our ways or culture or having other loyalty to Jurai other than his marriage to   
Lady Aeka." Fonaho finished.  
"The council will adjourn to discuss this matter in closed chambers. We   
will call this session back to order when we have reached our decision." Said   
Annias and he rapped the gavel three times to end the session.  
Fonaho walked up to the royal trio. They looked at her and she said, "It   
is totally in the hands of Holy Council now."  
"You were wonderful out there." Said Aeka.  
"Lenox should have known better than to tangle with the likes of me on   
issues of law." Said Fonaho.  
  
It took the Holy Council three hours to debate the issue in closed   
chambers deep inside the council hall. When they called the session back to   
order the entire chamber was packed to the brim with people. There were a fair   
number of supports for Tenchi in the room since learning that it was he that   
saved the planet from destruction.  
"This session is called back to order." Annias announced the banged the   
gavel to quiet the gallery.  
"We the council have discussed this issue and we have found that Denario   
Yolnaro has greater experience in service to the political infrastructure of the   
Juraian Empire than Lord Tenchi." Said Annias.  
Fonaho scowled at Lenox, Denario and Seiryu who were all smiling like   
Cheshire cats at that moment.  
"However, the actions of Lord Tenchi cannot be over looked and he is the   
successor of Lord Yosho. Our concern is his lack of knowledge of our people,   
culture, law and Holy Scriptures. We therefore have made this decision. His   
majesty Emperor Azusa will not be leaving the throne anytime soon, thus we have   
decided that Lord Tenchi will observe the ritual of the Khal'Ma." Said Annias.  
Fonaho's face lit up with an extremely bright smile and hushed oaths could   
be heard from Denario's side of the floor. "Thank you, honored councilmen. You   
have chosen most wisely and fairly." She said while trying to contain her joy.  
"As the law requires, the decisions of this council in these matters are   
final and not subject to appeal. This session is adjourned." Annias announced   
the rapped the gavel four times bring the session to an end.  
"Its over, we won." Fonaho told the others.  
"Want is the Khal'Ma?" Tenchi asked.  
"It is a rarely used law. In the Khal'Ma the heir of the throne will live   
off world for a period of years and undergo rigorous training and tutoring."   
Fonaho explained.  
"Does that mean we can go home?" asked Ryoko.  
"Yes. And I will go with you as Tenchi's tutor of the Khal'Ma." Said   
Fonaho. "Tenchi will be the next Emperor of Jurai."  
  
The celebration at the palace was grander than the one following the great   
battle. Hundreds of members from nearly all the branch families, except for   
Yolnaro's, came to see the new heir to the throne. The celebration lasted well   
into the night and in the morning there were some who were still partying away.  
That night, Tenchi sat with Aeka and Ryoko at their own place of honor in   
the great dining hall. Arch Prelate Annias sat with them and was placed with   
how the council deliberations went. Fonaho sat next to the Arch Prelate and he   
listen to her every word as they spoke about law and religion.  
"I guess I'm going to have to start getting used to all of this." Said   
Tenchi.  
"This is a dream I have had for so long, Tenchi. You as Emperor has been   
a fantasy for me for so long." Aeka said with a huge happy smile.  
"Not only will he have lots of power, but lots of dough too." Said Ryoko   
with a similar smile.  
"I wonder where Washu and Orrin have gone off to." Tenchi said.  
Aeka took a sip of wine. "I'm not sure. I thought I was them a few   
minutes ago talking with Father."  
Tenchi looked around and saw his grandfather talking to a couple of young   
girls who were probably hundreds of years younger than he was. Kiyone and his   
father were seated with a few members of the Tolzani branch family talking up a   
storm. Mihoshi and Darius were together looking into each other's eyes. Tenchi   
would later learn that the two had previously decided to be just friends, but   
since then their attraction for one another was too overwhelming and they   
renewed their relationship. Yuko was seated with members of the Ministry of   
Medicine talking shop.  
"Hey! Any room for a couple of genius' here?" Washu asked as she and   
Orrin approached the table.  
"Washu, we wondered where you were." Said Tenchi.  
"Tenchi, Washu and I have been talking, and we made a decision." Orrin   
said.  
Tenchi took a sip of his drink and asked, "What is that?"  
"When you become Emperor we want to be the official scientific advisors to   
the court." Said Washu.  
Aeka was shocked. "You mean you'll come with us when it is time for   
Tenchi to assume the throne?"  
"That's right. There is no guarantee that we got all the Darklings, so   
you will need us in case they ever show up again." Washu said.  
"After a huge blasts like that I don't see how any of them survived."   
Ryoko said.  
Washu looked over at Noboyuki who was seated with Kiyone in another part   
of the room. She looked back at the others who had puzzled looks on their   
faces. "I've talked to Noboyuki. The Regis seeded someone with a Regis   
parasite, and Noboyuki says he did not feel its death when the hive ship   
exploded."  
"You mean there is another Regis out there!" Ryoko shouted and jumped to   
her feet.  
"Yup. An old friend of your actually. So we have to be ever watchful   
because they will come back." Orrin explained.  
"An old friend, who would that be?" Ryoko asked.  
"Does the name Sakura have any meaning to you?" asked Washu.  
Tenchi, Aeka and Ryoko all gasped at once and shared worried looks and   
thoughts. "She's out there somewhere, watching, waiting, plotting. We have to   
be ready for not if they return, but when. Not only do they want revenge   
against the Elo'Quin, but they also want revenge against Jurai. For now we have   
some time to breath and rebuild, but one day they will be back and they will   
want nothing less then the total extinction of the Juraian race." Orrin warned   
them.  
A dark mood fell over those at the table, but a cheerful voice shattered   
it. "There you are! This place is a paradise. I've never had so much fun in   
my entire life." Said Agent Nagasaki who approached the table with a beautiful   
young woman at his side.  
"Glad you're enjoying yourself." Said Tenchi.  
"Yea, but the CIA Director isn't going to believe any of this." Daniel   
told him.  
"Danny, I thought we were going to try and find a private room." The young   
woman said in a sultry voice.  
Daniel pulled her closer to him. "Uh, we gotta go. See you all later.   
Bye!" The two immediately rushed off leaving the party at the table laughing   
cheerfully.  
  
Ryo-Ohki hovered in mid air in her spaceship form over the royal   
courtyard. An honor guard of several hundred Juraian troops stood in neat rows   
on either side of the Cabbit ship. Azusa, Misaki, Annias, and Admiral Shakar   
stood before those who were gathered to depart. A crowd of thousands of   
commoners had also gathered to wish the heir and his family a safe journey.   
"I sort of feel guilty leaving like this." Said Tenchi.  
"As the current Emperor it is my duty to take the responsibility of   
rebuilding Jurai. When you return it will be as if the war never happened. So   
don't worry." Azusa told him.  
"He won't have time to worry, he's going to very busy." Said Fonaho.  
"I sort of really hate having to go, but I've got responsibilities back   
home too." Said Daniel Nagasaki.  
"Yea, we left Tokyo a real mess when we tried to fight that monster."   
Washu said.  
"Good bye mommy, daddy." Sasami said.  
"Good bye Sasami. And Aeka you be good too." Misaki said on the verge of   
tears.  
Aeka made a rye face and then said in a cheerful childish voice. "I will   
mommy, I promise."  
"Ouch!" Ryoko shouted.  
"What's wrong?" Tenchi asked.  
"I felt this strange popping sensation in my stomach and it hurt a   
little."  
Washu examined her for a moment and put her holographic laptop away. "We   
need to get you home girl. You have had a prenatal check up in weeks." She   
said.  
"You mean that feeling was the baby?" Ryoko asked in surprise.  
"No. It's your stomach starting to stretch. You're going to really start   
showing in the next couple of weeks." Washu explained.  
"I hope it does give me stretch marks." Said Ryoko.  
"Say, Daniel is there anyplace you want us to drop you off when we get   
home?" Noboyuki asked.  
"Oh, I'm not in any real hurry to get back. I think we've all been   
rushing around enough for a while. Lets just take it slow and steady back   
home." Daniel replied.  
"I'm really starting to like this guy." Ryoko said.  
The yellow glow of Ryo-Ohki's tractor beam covered them and they all   
lifted into the air and vanished. Once they were inside the Cabbit ship cried   
out a loud triumphant meow and soared into the Juraian sky.  
__________  
Dear Journal,  
  
It has been a really long and hard road but we are finally back home on   
Earth. The war is over, thank god. Now we can get back to a normal life. Or,   
as normal a life we you get around this place. I have no regrets for the past,   
or any regrets for the future. In one short period of time our lives have   
changed forever in ways we are only just beginning to understand.  
  
After the battle was over we all arrived at the palace on Jurai. There   
were thousands of people waiting for us to arrive. The cheers and applause was   
deafening to our ears but we just smiled and waved to the throngs of adoring   
people who will now live on because of our sacrifice. Our family ran to us with   
open arms and greeted us back to the fold. It was a happy time of celebrations   
and revelry. But like any party it must soon end, and you have start picking up   
the pieces. In this case, much of the planet lay in ruins, and the capital city   
was half destroyed. I would later learn that a lot more stray shots from the   
Darkling fleet and the hive ship hit the planet than we thought. The death toll   
was extremely high.  
  
A great deal occurred before we were finally able to come home after so   
long. On Earth, things were really different. Our family home was declared   
diplomatic territory by the United Nations and great grandfather, that's Emperor   
Azusa, appointed grandpa as ambassador to Earth. World leaders came from all   
over to meet us including the first ever female president of the United States.   
That was a real treat. She really adored Ryo-Ohki.  
Oh, they were able to dig Kryton out of that crater in Tokyo and bring him   
back to Washu's lab. He's back online and recovering quite nicely now. The   
first word he said when he was reactivated was "Ouch."  
In reparation for destroying Tokyo Tower, Orrin with my dad's help   
designed and built a new tower. It is twice as tall, ten times stronger, and is   
one of the hottest new tourist attractions in Japan according to World Travel   
magazine. The impact on the Earth after "first contact" wasn't as bad as many   
previously thought. There were no rioting in the streets, no huge mass suicides   
(except among clergy and politicians), and the news shows had the highest   
ratings in years. Ryoko, Aeka, and I were even invited to the Jerry Springer   
Show, the Tonight Show, David Lettermen, and we were the subjects of a three-  
hour CNN special. Ron Howard wants to make a movie based on us. Jett Li will   
play me, Jennifer Love Hewett will play Aeka, that woman who played Mystique in   
the Xmen movie will play Ryoko (good choice), Pamela Anderson will be Mihoshi   
(no surprise there), Sigourney Weaver will be Kiyone, the Pepsi girl will play   
Sasami, Pat Morita will play dad (don't ask), and Jackie Chan will play grandpa.   
The role of Kagato will look like it might end up being Arnold Schwartzineger,   
but was originally going to be the guy who played Dr. Smith in the Lost in Space   
movie. Dr. Clay's role has been given to John Leguinzamo (according to Washu   
there is not much difference between Spawn's Clown and the real Dr. Clay). Reba   
McIntyre will play Washu in adult form, and some little girl who played in one   
of the Annie plays last year will do her child-like form. Finally, Orrin was   
the hardest one to cast. They finally settled on Brad Pitt because they were   
starting to go over budget. Go figure.  
  
Oh, did I tell you that Daniel Nagasaki got a promotion to Assistant   
Director of the CIA. How do you like that?  
  
The excitement settled down and we were finally able to enjoy a normal   
life again back home. Dad was still his same old self, but Kiyone was generous   
and let him keep a few of his Hentai tapes. Grandpa adapted pretty well to his   
new role as ambassador after being a Shinto priest for 700 years. Kiyone quite   
the Galaxy Police to stay by Dad's side, and Mihoshi was assigned as chief of   
security for the Jurai Embassy. We built it right here next to the house. With   
the most powerful entities in the universe living here we guessed nobody would   
have the guts to come anywhere near this place to cause trouble.  
Ryoko is starting to really show now. Sasami calls her a "beached whale"   
whenever she sees her on the couch. Aeka though, I have to say I was surprised   
by her a little. She can be subtle when she wants to be. I was sitting out on   
the pier on the lake one day.  
  
"Tenchi." She said to me.  
"Yea." I said back.  
She sat down next to me and let her bare feet dip into the cool water.   
She looked at me with those loving eyes and I felt that same love wash over me   
like cool water through our mental link.  
"I just came from Washu's lab." She said in a sweet voice.  
"Oh. What did you go to Washu's lab for?" I asked. Not expecting the   
answer I would receive.  
"A pregnancy test." She said and I ended up in the water.  
  
Needless to say, Aeka will be due about six months after Ryoko. I   
certainly hope Ryoko's twins (yes, you heard me right) have a shorter gestation   
period than humans because she is impossible when she is pregnant. Let us just   
say she gives a new meaning to the words "mood swing". Washu is busier   
repairing the walls and ceiling after Ryoko's outbursts more than she is working   
on her inventions.  
Speaking of Washu, she and Orrin are still together and still as much in   
love as ever. They spend most of their time in the lab, or the onsen. Yuko is   
the official medical doctor of the embassy, and Darius and Mihoshi have gotten   
back together again. Sasami and Duncan have a long distance relationship going   
on. Those can be hard to maintain, but they said they would stick it out   
because it shouldn't be too long before we all go back to Jurai for good. Yes,   
I decided to take the throne, but only after Fonaho shows me the ropes first.  
As for me, I was given an honorary diploma graduating me from high school   
officially. It was a gift to me from the government of Japan for what we did to   
save the Earth from being obliterated by the moon when it was falling towards   
the planet. I missed so much school on our trip into space I would have had to   
really work hard to make up for it, but they let it all slide. I thought about   
going to college. But here is an interesting twist. I'm not sending letters to   
the colleges; they are sending letters to me. Harvard, Yale, U of M, and MIT   
are competing with one another for me. Fonaho says I really need to focus on my   
political and historical studies of planet Jurai first before anything else, and   
if I need anything more Washu has offered to tutor me. At least with Orrin   
around I won't have to face Nurse Washu anymore.  
  
Well, more has been going than I can type in here now. I'll leave the   
more detailed stuff to the biography I'm writing. Time to head downstairs and   
see what Sasami has for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow.  
  
--Prince Tenchi Masaki.  
__________  
  
A lone ship traversed the dark void of space. Inside a young man was   
strapped to the deck with a strange mucus like substance that was as strong as   
steel. He could not remember the events of the past few days or when he had   
been captured. He looked around in the dark room and then heard footsteps   
approach him.  
He turned his head and saw a sight that shocked him. A woman with a body   
that was more incredible than he had ever seen approached him. She was   
completely naked. She walked up and sat down on his chest so he could get an   
eye full of every aspect of her womanly attributes.  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
"My name is Sakura. You want this body don't you?" the woman said.  
"Why am I strapped down?" the man asked.  
The man saw a red glow in her eyes suddenly and he could sense something   
about her. It frightens him and he tried to struggle away from her but the   
mucus holding him was too strong.  
"Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you." The woman named Sakura   
said.  
"What are you going to do to me?" the man asked in a frightened voice.  
"I'm going to take you into a new world you never imagined existed." She   
said and slid off his chest so her womanhood between her legs covered his mouth.   
He struggled as best he could and then let out muffled screams as something   
alien moved around inside his body, worming its way through his innards.  
"But first you must be reborn."  
  
=============================  
THE END OF DARK LORD OF JURAI  
  
COMING SOON - THE DARK LORD OF JURAI SEQUEL...  
  
THE ASCENSION CHRONICLES:   
BOOK ONE - OH BABY II  
  
Earth and planet Jurai have formed formal relations following the events that   
took place in Earth orbit. Now, the Masaki home and shrine have been designated   
Diplomatic Territory. All is peaceful, that is until Ryoko goes into labor   
pains. 


End file.
